In a village northeast of Saskatoon called Aberdeen, a great horned owl has begun treating small dogs as prey. Living in one of the community’s spruce trees, the owl is thought to be responsible for at least three attacks in the last few months.
Eye-witness Miranda Hingston claims that the owl tried to capture her chihuahua, Rosco, despite her close proximity.
While Rosco was dragged for about four feet, he survived the encounter. A friend of Hingston, however, was not so lucky, and actually lost her small dog to the owl.
While some residents are calling for the bird’s capture, resident Janet Weser disagrees, saying, “Let it hunt. It will move on as soon as the ice and snow melts off the fields. It will be after the mice.”
Conservation officer Kerry Wrishko agreed that the owl should be left alone. “You can’t blame the owl. They’re just doing what comes natural. They’ve got to eat.”
