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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPhotos: Owl and Dog Bond Together
If Harry Potter comes to mind at the sight of this barn owl perched on a dogs shoulders, youre not alone. We felt a very magical vibe from the photos of these two best friends and while the dogs name isn't Harry, it still has a very wizardly namesake Merlin!
According to Rex Features, Willow and Merlin became fast friends three months ago when the owls daily exercise was combined with the dogs walk. Now the unlikely pair are a familiar sight at the Pen y Bryn Falconry centre in North Wales.
http://animaltracks.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/27/11431292-magical-mates-owl-hitches-a-ride-on-dogs-back?lite
Gold Metal Flake
(13,805 posts)larkrake
(1,674 posts)DCKit
(18,541 posts)He was soooooooo close.
The Wizard
(12,536 posts)Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)Smart owl. Gets to have a dog take him around, and he gets to pick and eat fleas off the dog.
Bigmack
(8,020 posts)Polly Hennessey
(6,788 posts)I think it is either an Irish Wolfhound or a Scottish Deerhound. They are huge. Can stand 6' tall on their hind legs. Wonderful dogs.
Rex
(65,616 posts)together like that is a wonderment. Proves animals are far more complex them the average person gives them credit for.
Rhiannon12866
(204,779 posts)Great pix and a wonderful story!
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)-..__...
(7,776 posts)Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)happerbolic
(140 posts)... but, if an owl is out in the daylight, behaving like this, could environmental signals be getting crossed or maybe some kind of ailment on the owls behalf be occurring? his/her poor eyes have to hurt some, being as photo-sensitive as they are designed to be.
I do see owls sometime right as the cusp of nightfall and all the time hear them at night, this just seems oddly conspicuous being out in the day. Maybe in the stretch of country i live in, owls behave like they should. cute or not.
yeah, yeah.... grumble, grumble.....killjoy...
but still.....
-..__...
(7,776 posts)As in the pictures and posted video.
Doremus
(7,261 posts)I get the impression that the owl is being rehabilitated at a shelter.
"...the owls daily exercise was combined with the dogs walk..."
Perhaps it was injured in the wild. Just a speculation but it seems as rational as any other reason that an owl would be riding on a dog's back.
happerbolic
(140 posts)... still would seem torturous and frightening for the poor owl to be rehabbed in such a manner.
no matter how cute a image this came out to be. I've seen quite a few 'cute' scenarios play out in tragedy before, just to get that 'aww.....' factor.
even goes more toward man's (peoples) bastardization of nature, i suppose.
grumble, grumble, killjoy.....
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)That is insomniac. Like this guy he is out during the day.
Poor thing fell from nest and was seriously hurt. Can't use his right wing. He serves as an animal ambassador and loves to be with his humans. He is actually quite tame.
happerbolic
(140 posts)...with enough attention & care, one can coax the natural instinct out of a cutie like this... the security it feels must be of more worth than the sensitivity nature has engineered into it's 'after dark' traits. Especially if it was impaired as a baby..
better keep him/her as a pet for then on out... make easy pickins' for day predators otherwise...
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Nor will now.
He does a good parrot imitation and asks for his humans to scratch his head. He is also not as screechy as parrots.
Why i said he is an animal ambassador who helps raise needed funds to help other wild life that can be rehabilitated.
We met him at the fair. Cute, very cute. He must hav known we are owned by two conures.
happerbolic
(140 posts)...owned by two conures.
got two greys that have complete control on me as well...
feathers = strong medicine
Blue Owl
(50,271 posts)n/t
libodem
(19,288 posts)Hoo?