Hundreds of pet owls abandoned after Harry Potter craze fades - Polidicks

[b]"And it’s feared many more have been illegally released into the wild and will have starved to death"[/b] [quote] Hundreds of owls are being abandoned across the country after being bought as pets by Harry Potter fans. Sanctuaries are full of the birds now the craze has faded after the release of the final Harry Potter film last year. And it’s feared many more have been illegally released into the wild and will have starved to death or taken over territory inhabited by smaller wild owls. There was a surge in demand for pet owls from fans who fell in love with Harry’s cute companion *Hedwig. But the birds, which can live for 20 years, take a lot of looking after – and many owners have become fed-up of repeatedly having to clean up garages and sheds of their *droppings and feathers. One rescue worker says she is now having to care for 100 owls at her sanctuary. Owl star: A promotional poster for one of the films Pam Toothill, of the Owlcentre in Corwen, North Wales, said: “Before the films were out I had six owls, now it’s 100. It’s all down to *Harry Potter. “People saw *Harry’s owl in the movies and thought how cute and cuddly they looked. Now they are bored and fed-up with all the work involved looking after an owl. “They are quite costly to look after. Ideally you need a 20ft aviary, and that costs about £900. “I know it’s not JK Rowling’s fault, but people didn’t think enough about buying an owl before getting one. “Owls need enough space to be able to flap their wings five times before landing back on a perch, or they get a chest *infection. “But we had one lady who was keeping two owls in her bedside cabinet in her *bedroom. “And there was a chap with a *European Eagle Owl, which has a 5ft wingspan, in his one-*bedroom flat. It’s insane.” It is perfectly legal to keep an owl and no licence is needed. But anyone caught releasing a captive owl faces six months in jail or a £5,000 fine. Thirty unwanted barn owls are among the 170 creatures being cared for at the Sanctuary Wildlife Care Centre at Ulgham, near Morpeth, Northumberland. Owner Kim Olson said: “When people saw Harry Potter loads of them wanted an owl. They’ve kept them in their shed or garage for a bit and now they’ve got bored and they hand them in to us. “It’s illegal to release an owl into the wild because they would take over from the native wild owls, but obviously a lot of people have *ignored that law.” Harry Potter author JK Rowling has pleaded with fans not to follow their hero and keep an owl as a pet. “If anybody has been influenced by my books to think an owl would be happiest shut in a small cage and kept in a house, I would like to take this opportunity to say as forcefully as I can, ‘you are wrong’,” she has said. “If your *owl-mania seeks concrete *expression, why not sponsor an owl at a bird *sanctuary where you can visit and know that you have secured him or her a happy, healthy life.” The Harry Potter owl craze echoes that of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle film in the early 1990s, when thousands of *unwanted pet terrapins were dumped in Britain’s rivers, canals and lakes.[/quote] [url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hundreds-of-pet-owls-abandoned-after-840299?mobile=false]SOURCE[/url]

Who the hell gets a pet for a fad? And why would you abandon an owl anyway? They're so cool.

I was almost certain you needed to be a falconer to get an owl. If that isn't a requirement, it certainly should be.

This happens every time a movie with an animal in it comes out. People impulse buy an animal having no idea what taking care of an animal actually entails.

I hate how people follow some craze, and as soon as that craze is over they just throw it away. Except now this time it means actual animals harmed.

Why would you buy a god damn Owl because you like a movie/book.

Owls are too badass of a pet to throw away.

I didn't know you could even keep an owl as a pet. It sounds awesome, shame people are just releasing them instead of giving them to someone who might be able to look after it.

I was the only kid I knew who got a red eared slider ([url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_eared_slider[/url]) NOT because of ninja turtles :v: She's still alive too. Rocking 19 years old.

People following fads to such extremes are pathetic.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXFlnlrk2zg[/media] But they're so cute! :c

[QUOTE=Reds;36022562]This happens every time a movie with an animal in it comes out. People impulse buy an animal having no idea what taking care of an animal actually entails.[/QUOTE] This still happens with clown fish because of Finding Nemo. People are buying them for their little kids without any idea how to care for them. (although it's not really that hard, it's not right for a kid). A fish store owner that goes to a forum I'm on says he won't even sell clown fish to people buying for their kids anymore because some bitch came into his store [i]demanding[/i] two clown fish, saying she knew how to care for them and had the right tanks and blah blah blah. Only for her to come in the next day saying they died and demanding a refund. He later found out they were put in a [i]Freshwater[/i] aquarium. Some people...

Wow now I want an owl.

[quote] Owls need enough space to be able to flap their wings five times before landing back on a perch, or they get a chest *infection. [/quote] Holy hell that's the most interesting thing I've heard today [QUOTE=JamesRaynor;36022636][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXFlnlrk2zg[/media] But they're so cute! :c[/QUOTE] Shame they always look fucking pissed

Screw owls, im getting a parrot once im done with the military. [img]http://sunriseaviannursery.com/Babies/Baby_Pics/Congo3/4Weeks2.jpg[/img] [B][I]FUCK YES[/I][/B]

There must be such a misunderstanding here. Nothing wrong with admiring an animal character you see in some fiction, but I thought people realised keeping an animal is a completely different story.

[QUOTE=DaysBefore;36022712]Wow now I want an owl.[/QUOTE] Now's the best time to get one, I heard there's a surplus of 'em.

[QUOTE=Jetblack357;36022767]Screw owls, im getting a parrot once im done with the military. [img]http://sunriseaviannursery.com/Babies/Baby_Pics/Congo3/4Weeks2.jpg[/img] [B][I]FUCK YES[/I][/B][/QUOTE] Oh please.. [img]http://theblackcordelias.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/rock06.jpg[/img] Pet rocks are all the fad.

[QUOTE=pvt.jenkins;36022778]Oh please.. [img]http://theblackcordelias.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/rock06.jpg[/img] Pet rocks are all the fad.[/QUOTE] How could you be so cruel? Your rock is obviously overfed...

[QUOTE=Jetblack357;36022767]Screw owls, im getting a parrot once im done with the military. [img]http://sunriseaviannursery.com/Babies/Baby_Pics/Congo3/4Weeks2.jpg[/img] [B][I]FUCK YES[/I][/B][/QUOTE] ITS A FUCKING DINOSAUR

I really have always wanted a pet anteater [IMG]http://www.funnyanimalworld.net/var/albums/An interesting pet anteater/An interesting pet anteater (05).jpg?m=1334921521[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Cuon Alpinus;36022559]Who the hell gets a pet for a fad? And why would you abandon an owl anyway? They're so cool.[/QUOTE] I watched Game of Thrones and instantly wanted the type of dog due to the cuteness of the puppies. I'm sure at some point in your life you've done the same, which is fine! However, people shouldn't just let them die when they don't care. Maybe I should've clarified that I mean most have wanted something due to a movie, be it a pet or a gun or something else due to a fad. Just want though, not necessarily acting on it.

[QUOTE=CakeMaster7;36022570]I hate how people follow some craze, and as soon as that craze is over they just throw it away. Except now this time it means actual animals harmed.[/QUOTE] It's illegal in the USA to own any sort of Bird of Prey without a license, anyone caught with so much as a feather can get 10 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine.

I'll take one. I hate Harry Potter but owls are the shit.

Where is it these owls were bought? Can't get them in the US and i'm fairly certain you can't in Canada. (In my area falconry is altogether illegal)

Good thing it isn't a pet monkey fad, or there'd be some real trouble.

[QUOTE=monkey11;36022958]I really have always wanted a pet anteater [IMG]http://www.funnyanimalworld.net/var/albums/An interesting pet anteater/An interesting pet anteater (05).jpg?m=1334921521[/IMG][/QUOTE] Over the years...I've made a mental list of animals I'd love to have as pets. Maybe when I'm old I'll build a multi-habitat room with a huge sunroof and live with my animal friends.

I want a pet Owl :(

[QUOTE=Ninja Duck;36023077]Over the years...I've made a mental list of animals I'd love to have as pets. Maybe when I'm old I'll build a multi-habitat room with a huge sunroof and live with my animal friends.[/QUOTE] I've been drawing up plans with this exact dream in mind.

This seems so much like an Onion headline. I guess the truth is often stranger than fiction.