Concerned DSPCA officials are appealing for witnesses after a series of assualts on owls in parks across Dublin.

Punched owl left with black eyes

The latest incident, which took place in Marlay Park at the foot of the Dublin mountains, saw an owl taken from a tree and punched repeatedly in the face. The owl was then left dazed and confused on the ground before it eventually managed to raise the alarm.

It follows on from at least six other assaults on owls in which they have had their faces punched in. A tawny owl in the Phoenix Park needed eight stitches in its beak while a barn owl, ironically living in a shed in the Botanic Gardens, suffered two black eyes and a boxed ear.

Gardai immediately questioned soccer pundit Ray Houghton who spent four months in prison for a vicious assault on a kestrel in 1997. He had a cast-iron alibi though and the investigation has drawn to a standstill ever since.

Larry Ryan of the DSPCA said “We urge the general public to come forward if they see anything suspicious. Somebody must know something. Punching owls in the face is an unusual pastime and we desperately need your help to sort this out.

The owl community is living in fear at the moment. They’re very protective of their faces and being punched in them all the time is bad for them. Maybe you know of someone who is boasting about punching owls in the face. If so just contact us and we assure you all information received will be treated with the utmost confidentiality”.

It’s the latest in a long line of animal assualts in the capital although things have been relatively quiet since the mass outbreak of squirrel booting in early 2005.