Mistaken identity: The Scottish SPCA received reports of a distressed owl (Picture: Scottish SPCA)

When animal welfare officers were alerted to a ‘distressed’ owl in a Scottish front garden they were quickly on the case.

The Scottish SPCA received a call from an anonymous Aberdeenshire resident with concerns for a bird that had apparently been left tied to a tree all night.

When an officer arrived at the scene, however, he discovered the motionless owl was in fact a plastic garden water feature.

‘I had a feeling as soon as I approached the property that something wasn’t quite right,’ explained Chief Inspector John Carle.


‘The front garden contained a number of ornaments and decorative features and when I spoke to the occupant she took me to the rear of the house where the owl in question was being stored.’



He added: ‘It was immediately clear to me that the animal was obviously not real so I have to say that I’m more inclined to think that the call may have been made as a prank.

‘We occasionally receive call-outs of this nature from individuals with genuine concerns for animals, only to find that the animal in question is a toy or an ornament.’

The Scottish SPCA said it couldn’t be sure if it had been a prank call or from a well-meaning, but short-sighted neighbour.

‘We do tend to have a giggle about this sort of thing, particularly as our job investigating cruelty and rescuing abandoned and neglected animals is normally quite stressful and often upsetting,’ Mr Carle explained.

‘However, on a serious note … prank calls of any kind not only waste our time and our supporters donations, but could delay us in reaching an animal that desperately needs our help.’