A kindhearted Florida resident went to great lengths to help a family of burrowing owls after their home was flooded by a storm. Wendy Hockenberry, 34, from Southwest Florida, had grown fond of the owls after spotting them across the street the previous year. When Hurricane Milton hit in 2024, the owls disappeared—but to her delight, they returned months later and settled in her yard. Initially nesting in a drainage area before moving to a nearby burrow, the birds were again displaced when another storm hit on May 12, 2025. Torrential rain flooded their home, washing out three owlets and their family. Determined to help, Wendy posted a TikTok asking for advice. Acting on a suggestion, she placed a cardboard box filled with blankets near the burrow. In another clip, she used a shop vacuum to remove the floodwater. Worried the owls might not return—or worse, be injured—Wendy was relieved when, the next day, the family returned safely to the dried-out burrow in her yard.
