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Owl chicks help give youngsters new lease of life

The snowy owl chicks
The snowy owl chicks

A family of adorable snowy owl chicks are working their magic on youngsters with autism in the north-east.

The birds have arrived at a animal haven in the heart of the Buchan countryside as part of an unusual therapy programme aimed at helping young people with sometimes profound physical and learning needs.

The Owl and the Pussycat Centre, near Maud, was set up four years ago and is well known as the home of Hedwig and Errol, two owls which featured in the first Harry Potter film.

Now the sanctuary has received charity status, which will open up extra funding avenues to help continue its work.

Owner Ruth Hickling said: “The four snowy owl babies are just a few weeks old and we’re sure they will be a big hit with the families who use our therapy programme. They haven’t got names yet, but we’ll let the children decide that.

“Although we do have some rescued birds, most of them are hand-reared and raised in captivity. They really need to be so that we know they’ll be fine with people stroking and touching them.

“We have found that the owls and other birds of prey have a profound affect on the children and young adults with additional support needs, particularly autism. They create really strong bonds with the birds and in some cases, the mums and dads have never seen them respond that way before. It can be a real tear-jerking moment.”

She said: “Its been successful, partly because the birds are so low maintenance compared to other animals. They don’t mind how people behave, so the children can just be themselves.”

Mrs Hickling, a former social worker, set up the base with £90,000 she was awarded following a high profile split with Aberdeen City Council. She was awarded the pay-out after successfully arguing she had been unfairly dismissed at an employment tribunal.

“We started off with 14 birds,” she said. “Now we have more than 40. The Harry Potter owls brought us a bit of notoriety and they’ve helped us grow and grow over the years.”

The centre will celebrate its new charity status with a launch night featuring live music and a buffet at the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh on August 9.