Owls are wild animals - not cute pets, warns Fylde coast animal rescue

Barn owls and falcons may look impressive – but if you’re looking for a good pet, look elsewhere, a Fylde animal charity has urged.

Hugo’s Small Animal Sanctuary in Staining has taken in three barn owls and one enormous Eurasian eagle owl after inexperienced owners adopted them as chicks, then became unable to deal with them as they grew up.

Sanctuary founder Bailey Lister said: “Birds of prey are not cute pets. You have to treat them like the wild animals they are.

“The first bird that came into the rescue was a barn owl called Fauna, who had been kept in a dog cage, and she couldn’t even fly because she had no wing muscles.

“The second that come in was Athena, a Eurasian eagle owl. She was kept in a wardrobe.

“You don’t need a licence to own a bird of prey. You can pick up a barn owl chick quite easily - then as they grow up, they can become quite aggressive.

“It puts a lot of strain on rescues. These birds cost £70 a month to feed on rats, mice and quails. You can’t take them to a regular vet; they need to be seen by an exotic animals specialist, which can cost a lot of money.”Bailey said birds of prey, like dogs and cats, were just another example of people buying pets during lockdown, only to dump them later on.

“These birds live a life of neglect. It’s a sad reality, but it’s what happens, because people are selfish,” Bailey said. “People buy these birds thinking they will be great pets, and they live a life of misery.

“All of the birds we have are former pets. It’s an emerging trend and it’s quite worrying. The eagle owl weighs around 9lbs. That’s bigger than a newborn baby. They have three-inch talons and in the wild they take down foxes and hares. I dread to think what could happen if a small child got into the enclosure with her.

“These animals are wild, and not to be messed with.”

THE BARN OWL TRUST SAYS...

Some birds of prey, if kept as pets, must be registered according to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - however, barn owls and eagle owls are not among them.

But the Barn Owl Trust advised people against adopting a barn owl of their own.

They said: "We do not consider that barn owls make good pets. Feathers are not designed for stroking – it reduces their natural waterproofing. Barn owls have sharp talons and strong feet which can inflict deep puncture wounds and scratches.

"With imprinted barn owls, the bond between “parent” and owl is never really broken so the owl may never grow out of certain juvenile behaviour such as calling for food. This can become extremely irritating. Imprinted barn owls generally treat humans as potential mates or as competitors. As a result they can be very aggressive.

"During the breeding season, which may extend through most of the year for barn owls in captivity, imprinted males can be particularly troublesome and noisy, especially at night."

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