Where Are Owls Legal as Pets
Flying Free: What are you talking about? Many older people keep exotic animals, in fact, it`s mostly naïve millennials who give us about it. Laws governing pet ownership vary from state to state. So it`s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with your local laws if you`re considering having an owl as a pet. In states like Alabama, Delaware, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, and Tennessee, for example, keeping an owl is perfectly legal. As one of the largest owls in the world, and perhaps the largest, caution is obviously advised when interacting with this massive bird. Eurasian eagle owls are not very sociable with handlers compared to other birds of prey. For this reason, experience training other birds of prey may be necessary to care for them. If you are a person who travels a lot for work or pleasure, an owl will disrupt your lifestyle. First of all, due to the state`s owl laws, you can`t just cross state borders with an owl in your car like you would with your dog. And unlike a dog, which you can leave with a neighbor or ask a friend to visit and groom while you`re away, you need to find someone specially trained to handle owls. In fact, some types of owls imprint on people, so while they may be docile in your presence, they can be aggressive or stressed if someone else takes care of them in your absence. However, this should only be a short-term solution. You need to find an effective way to create a barrier between these birds and what attracts them to your property.
As for owls, you can keep them as pets if you live in a state that allows you to. When it comes to hunting endangered animals, well, it`s just illegal, period. Ultimately, I think just because your state doesn`t specifically prohibit you from getting an owl doesn`t mean you should have one. While some exotic animals may be easy to care for, an owl is not one of them. Although they are not very large animals, their natural behavior, needs and legal requirements require a lot of work. So unless you really need an owl for exhibition or education purposes, here`s why you shouldn`t get an owl. So unless you have a special permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that allows you to shoot protected birds, it`s illegal to do so. Before photographing birds in your garden, make sure you can identify them correctly to avoid legal problems when killing protected bird species.
Any pet can be messy, but owls are among the messiest of all. They eat only small animals, such as rodents. In addition, they crush their food into pieces to facilitate food. Therefore, tidying up after mealtime is part of an owl owner`s daily routine. But if you`re really willing to get the job done, do your research, and provide your owl with an environment in which to thrive, then you might be responsible enough to keep an owl. But responsibility is not enough; If you can`t provide them with a good environment or can`t afford to meet their needs, you`re better off getting a low-maintenance pet. Despite their silence and mysterious behavior, owls are actually birds of prey that feed on invertebrates, fish, reptiles, small birds and small mammals. It depends on the type of owl, as some owls feed mainly on insects, while species such as barn owls prefer to hunt rodents. This is why owls are banned in states known to have many breeding farms, as they can be dangerous to other animals. The task of cleaning the huge owl enclosure can also be important.
Unlike a cat or dog, owls are difficult to train. They are also much larger than parrots, partly because of their diet and size. Steve Malowski, team leader of the bird department at the Cincinnati Zoo, notes that individuals are unlikely to get a permit to keep an owl. “I would leave that to the experts and ignore all the cute videos of owls supposedly serving as pets. Europe and elsewhere may be different, but the USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Service) is very strict. People can own various owls in the UK, but in the US, you can`t own a snowy owl – or any other native owl – as a pet. They are protected by the federal government under the Migratory Birds Act. According to the same law, you are not even allowed to possess one of their feathers without permission from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. A number of experts confirm that an owl is not a species that does well as a pet. Asked about the suitability of an owl as a pet, Tamara Barker-Hanley, a guide to birds of prey, replied: “Owls make bad pets because they are wild animals.
It is a species protected by the state under the Migratory Birds Act and will cause serious injury if not properly treated. However, non-native birds of prey are perfectly legal in states that do not specifically prohibit them. In the United States, the most commonly available exotic owl species that does not require a permit is the eagle owl – one of the largest owls in the world.