Dakota the owl to make public appearance Saturday

OCONOMOWOC -- Dakota the owl's recovery is now complete! The Wildlife in Need Center says Dakota is back in good health after the owl was stolen from the center and then escaped into the wild last fall.

Dakota spent his life in captivity, and required weeks of rehabilitation after he was finally found.

The Wildlife in Need Center is hosting an educational program at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha's theater on Saturday. The program is free and open to the public, but you must contact the Wildlife in Need Center to RSVP.

For a decade, Dakota has educated over 80,000 people about respecting and appreciating his wild counterparts. Dakota reached a whole new audience when his theft last November brought national attention to the center he calls home.

The outpouring of cards and letters of support the center received on his behalf ranged from students as far away as Florida to local community groups and religious leaders, many of whom had the opportunity to meet Dakota during his first 10 years of outreach programming.

Dakota will be joined at Saturday's program by other ambassador animals, including American Kestrel Grace, Woodchuck Waldo, Ornate Box Turtle Jewel, and Muscovy Duck Daphne.