River otter found living under a dumpster in downtown Winnipeg

By any measure, this is not the usual animal-in-distress call — even for Winnipeg.

A river otter was found living under a garbage bin in the city’s downtown core at the University of Winnipeg Friday afternoon. The bizarre call to help the animal first came from a young man, then a student and another woman who stayed with the otter until animal welfare experts arrived.

Student Nihal Bhullar was among the good Samaritans who stepped in to help the wayward otter, which she named “Otty.”

I saved an otter between classes today who else can say that wow and thank you Dawn and the ladies from the Human Society that came to get Otty #otter #Winnipeg #winnipegotter #humansociety pic.twitter.com/mN8wEHXtmt

— Nihal (@NihalKBhullar) February 8, 2019

The Winnipeg Humane Society helped catch the clearly lost and confused animal.

Otty the otter is safe and sound. Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre/Facebook

It was then turned over to Manitoba Conservation, and is now at the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre for care and observation.

Cuteness alert!!
This happy otter was found in Winnipeg today. With the help of the @WinnipegHumane, this little guy is comfortable and in care this evening with Wildlife Haven. We are working on assessing his condition and determining the best treatment course for him. pic.twitter.com/SKlvZgYhBb

— Wildlife Haven Rehab (@WildlifeHaven) February 9, 2019

Bhullar tweeted about the odd encounter, and has been hailed a hero.

“I just did what anyone would if they found a wild animal downtown,” she wrote.

Thank you to everyone that is replying to my post, to everyone that is calling me a hero I dont feel like I am one I am just a person that did what anyone else would do I am just happy the little otter is safe @WildlifeHaven and want to say the true heroes are @humansociality

— Nihal (@NihalKBhullar) February 9, 2019

Otty, meanwhile is eating and resting comfortably, according to the rehab facility.

Also confirmed: Very cute.

Manitoba Conservation will help decide when and where the otter will be released. Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre/Facebook

“We are working on assessing his condition and determining the best treatment course for him,” the centre said.

Winnipeg at the confluence of two major rivers – the Red and the Assiniboine — and river otters do call Manitoba home, but it’s still not clear where this little fella came from or how long he’d been hanging around a dumpster in Manitoba’s capital city.