WATCH: Wood stork tangled in fishing line rescued by Polk animal control officers

BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA) — Two Polk County animal control officers came to a wood stork’s rescue Tuesday after the bird’s legs became entangled by a fishing lure and line.

Residents spotted the stork struggling at Hack Lake in Bartow late Tuesday afternoon and called the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for help.

Officers Williams and Shores responded, with video showing Williams taking off his shoes and rolling up his pants legs to go into the lake and pull the wounded bird to shore.

The two officers then worked together to remove the fishing lure and line from the bird’s legs. Multiple onlookers also watched the rescue unfold.

One person could be heard stating, “It’s got one leg hooked into the other.”

“Oh, little guy. That’s going to need to be treated,” Officer Williams said.

Officer Shores held the wood stork down while Williams worked to cut the fishing lure and line off the bird’s legs.

“He’s going to hate me for this, but you know what,” Williams said.

The wounded bird was eventually freed and was taken to the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay to be rehabilitated.

“We’re hoping for a full recovery,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a social media post sharing details of the rescue.