Family, State Disagree on Status of Pet Owl
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From Times Staff and Wire Reports
A family here wants the state to give back its pet owl.
Members of the Marks family have been caring for Mister, a Western screech owl that they rescued as a chick more than seven years ago.
Department of Fish and Game officials say keeping a wild animal is against California law, so a state game warden knocked on the family’s door this week and demanded that the owl be surrendered.
Fish and Game Lt. Sherry Howell said the Markses might be well-intentioned but were violating wildlife laws by keeping the native bird in captivity.
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