"Horror owl" grounded in a bird sanctuary

The horror owl that attacked 50 people in Purmerend will remain in a shelter. Col Lamers, 59, who was the first victim of the owl this year pleaded alongside 1,700 other people for the release of the bird, reports AD. However, according to the municipality, that is not an option. Release of captured animals is prohibited under the flora and fauna law. Since the owl has no chip or ring, it would be difficult to trace the owner. Therefore, the municipality has applied for an extension of the animal’s captivity. “Being a bird that was raised by people, he will most likely seek shelter in buildings and exhibit similarly aggressive behavior to the kind he showed in Purmerend,” a municipality spokesman is quoted saying. Since mid-March, the owl has been kept in a large aviary. “He is healthy and feels perfectly fine among his peers,” said Marco Hegger, councilor of the municipality of Purmerend, who is handling the petition to free the animal. The owl had previously attacked a caregiver as soon as he turned his back on the bird. Specialized veterinary research shows that the owl was raised in captivity. He was most probably released by his previous owner. Lamers considers the decision to hold the animal in captivity disappointing. “It does not satisfy me. I am going through with this, but I don’t know in which direction [to proceed],” he told AD.