Scottish gamekeeper Alan Wilson, sentenced last week for a litany of vile wildlife crimes on the Longformacus Estate (see here), also had a previous conviction from 2018 when he pleaded guilty to an animal welfare offence.
That conviction related to the cruel mistreatment of an eagle owl, which had been kept in ‘utterly unacceptable living conditions‘ in a pigsty outside his cottage. The owl was confiscated by the SSPCA.
Last week the Daily Record reported that the confiscated owl had now been successfully re-homed by a guy called Keith in West Lothian.
The Daily Record article appeared to include a few exaggerations, such as:
‘Wooey was used to lure raptors including buzzards and endangered hen harriers so that Wilson, 61, could blast them out of the sky with his shotgun on the Longformacus Estate in Berwickshire‘.
Really? I’m not sure there was any evidence of Wilson using the owl to lure hen harriers or any other raptors, although it’s obviously a strong possibility. But that’s not the same as saying it did happen.
The article also claimed that this image (attributed to the Daily Record) showed Wooey before he was rescued:
Actually, this image was taken on a different grouse moor in 2017 and was sent to us by a blog contributor (see here). It might have been Wooey, but it’s just as likely to be another eagle owl being tethered (illegally) by another gamekeeper. This is a well known (illegal) practice on some grouse moors.
Probable exaggerations aside, this is a good news story – well done to the SSPCA and to Keith (re-homer) and to the Daily Record for covering the story.
It’s also a reminder to anyone who sees a tethered owl out on a grouse moor to take photos if possible and report the sighting to both the police (Tel: 101) AND the RSPB’s Raptor Crime Hotline (Tel: 0300 999 0101).
If you’re sick to the back teeth of hearing about wildlife and animal welfare crimes taking place on grouse moors, please consider signing this petition calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting: PLEASE SIGN HERE
Raptor Persecution UK 
I have in the past seen big owls at the homes of at least four keepers in the Yorkshire Dales, three were Eagle Owls and the other a Snowy Owl. Given the propensity for raptor related Wildlife crime in the area one of course suspects what they were/are used for but I have never seen one out on the moor other than an escapee. You’ve met the owner of the Snowy, how shall we describe him argh yes Mr Angry!
Ah, he has a snowy owl, eh? Why is that not surprising!
Why phone police or RSPB when it was the SSPCA that took the action .
I’ll phone the SSPCA 03000 999 999
Because it will in all probability be a wildlife crime not a welfare issue.