Cough it Up
Posted by Sammi on October 16, 2003
Q: i have a grey horned owl in my back yard and we have a small dog. i was wondering how i could get rid of this owl so it does not attach the dog.thanx, Sammi
A: Great Horned Owls are large, powerful birds so I can understand your concern. Great Horned Owls feed on a wide variety of animals and have been known to take domestic cats but I've never heard of them attacking a dog. If you've seen the owl perched near your yard, I'd make a point to walk to the tree it is in and try to scare it away each and every time you see it. This may discourage it from using this site as they tend to have "favorite" perches. Keep in mind that this owl is federally protected so you don't want to take any action that would harm the bird. These owls feed mainly at night, although they will hunt in daytime if they are especially hungry. Guess if I were you I'd make a point of keeping my dog in the house at dusk and during the night. I realize this may not be a good solution but it may be the safest. Also keep in mind that Great Horned Owls do not migrate so your owl will be in your area all winter long.
Good luck.
John Wiessinger ( October 19, 2003)