Many people think it would be fun to have an owl for a pet, but few people have any true comprehension of what is involved in caring for one.
It is illegal to keep owls without special permits in most countries. Some countries issue permits to individuals to keep owls after necessary training and proper facilities have been built. The United States does not allow private individuals to keep native owls as pets--they may only be possessed by trained, licensed individuals while being rehabilitated, as foster parents in a rehabilitation facility, as part of a breeding program, for educational purposes, or certain species may be used for falconry in some states (although they rarely make good falconry birds.) Even in these instances, the person licensed to keep the owl does not "own" the bird--the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service retains "stewardship" of the birds so that they may recall them at any time if permit conditions are not beng met.
Things to consider before ever getting an owl
1. Taking a vacation or going on a business trip is difficult. You can't just take the owl with you (especially since in the United States permits are usually needed every time you cross state lines.) It takes a trained person to take care of an owl, and if you have a human-imprinted owl like Alice, they may be aggressive with anyone else who comes to take care of them. Owls also like routine, so disruption to the normal scheme of things is very stressful for them. Alice once lost half a pound when Karla was away for nine days...and she only weighed four pounds to begin with!
9. Owls can be very destructive. They have a natural killing instinct that can be applied to blankets, pillows, clothing, stuffed animals, and just about anything else that can be shredded. Alice also has a habit of clearing everything off her perches, which means she deliberately pushes and drops everything onto the floor from dressers or anyplace else she wants to be. Talons are also really bad for woodwork. They bring out the natural grain of the wood really well as they strip off the finish.
8. Mating season involves a lot of all-night racket. Remember, owls are active at night, so that's when they'll be hooting and calling during mating season. Since she thinks she's a human, Alice directs her hooting at Karla, and Karla is expected to hoot with her. Alice can get quite crabby if Karla doesn't spend time hooting with her several times a day (early morning and late evening) during this time of year. If you have neighbors nearby, they won't be very happy about the noise.
7. Owls don't like to be petted and cuddled. Captive owls still retain their natural instincts, and traditional "petting" doesn't fit into the owl scheme of things. Even though Karla has lived with Alice for over 10 years, Alice still bites if Karla tries to pet her on the back.
6. Owls are high maintenance. They require daily feeding, cleaning, and attention, especial human-imprinted owls like Alice. Owls that are capable of flying need to be flown regularly, or housed in very large cages where they can get adequate exercise.
5. Owls are long-lived. A Great Horned Owl could live 30 or more years in captivity if things go well