My friend Nikki Christian rescues and rehabs all kinds of animals. If you ever visit her home, you just never know what you're going to find living inside it temporarily. You may see raccoons, foxes, birds, deer, squirrels and more.

I mention squirrels because she recently saved one for me. I found one in my back yard. It was laying on the ground by my huge maple tree. It was alive, but breathing in an incredibly shallow way and it was unable to move. I called Nikki, she came to get it and, days later, called me to let me know the squirrel had gotten better, jumped off her shoulders and ran up a tree. Success!

This is random, but she also recently rehabilitated an alligator that she named "Stevie".

Well, I'm not sure Nikki has ever encountered a rescue as majestic as the one she came across earlier this week.  There were reports of an injured bald eagle in Calhoun, Kentucky, so Nikki did what she always does.  She went to get it.

The eagle was found "down in the back of someone's yard."  The home where the eagle was found is near the road, so she isn't sure if the eagle was hit by a car or if it's sick.

Nikki Christian
Nikki Christian
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Nikki cradled the eagle, then took it to the safety of her home while she investigated and made additional arrangements.

By the way, I was surprised when I saw the photos because the eagle seems rather tame.  I'm not sure what I expected, but I didn't expect the eagle to look so content in the photos they shared of it.  Nikki confirmed that it was relatively calm and cooperative.  She said, "I would rather handle fifteen bald eagles than one Canadian goose."

Well, as you can see, the bald eagle made itself at home, quickly, at Nikki's. It just sort of perched up in her kitchen.

Nikki Christian
Nikki Christian
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After rescuing the eagle and taking it inside for much-needed rest, Nikki transported him to the Western Kentucky Raptor Center here in Owensboro Wednesday morning. She didn't get the best news, however. The experts at the center think it's possible that the eagle has West Nile Virus. The good news, though, is that the virus can be treated and everyone's hopeful the bald eagle will soon be flying again.

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