Police have confirmed they are investigating the rather unusual case of an alleged theft of a barn owl from a property on the Isle of Lewis.
Scamp, a six-year-old domesticated bird of prey, is believed to have been taken from its caged enclosure in the village of Callanish late in the evening.
Its owners, Dr Junita MacLeod and her husband Don, are perplexed as to who may behind the theft, or their motives, but are convinced the animal was removed by someone.
They found a corner of the cage damaged – and insist it could not have been accidental or weather-related.
Dr MacLeod, 57, said: “They’re not the sort of bird you would go hunting with. It’s more for ornamental purposes than hunting. Although they are not native to the island – they’re not keen on the wind and the rain we get up here – they are native to the UK and you need a licence to keep them in captivity. This one has been born and bred in captivity and has never had to hunt in its life.
“As they breed relativity easily in captivity they’re not even very expensive and easily available on the internet for less than £100 so I really don’t know why anyone would want to do this, unless it’s to do with Harry Potter or whatever.”
The popularity of keeping owls as pets increased significantly after the release of the film series based on the books of JK Rowling, which sees the central character accompanied by one of the birds. However, that interest was widely expected to have now died down.
“We’d really like to have him back; we’re really missing him,” said Dr MacLeod, who said that anyone with any information should either contact themselves or the police.
“It’s not only my husband and I; I’ve got a 10-year-old grand-daughter who has been handling him since he was six years old and she’s missing him dreadfully.”
A police spokesperson confirmed they have received a report and are investigating.