Hoo is next? Man says he’s latest victim of owls in Georgia

ATLANTA – A spate of recent owl attacks has ruffled the feathers of metropolitan Atlanta’s residents.

WSB-TV reports there have been at least three instances of owls attacking humans or pets since late December, most recently in the heart of Midtown.

Serrita Holt says her Yorkie, Freedom, was killed following a Dec. 23 attack in Henry County. She said the dog sustained puncture wounds to his back and chest.

The next week, Deborah Johnson was scratched on her leg and knocked over by a large owl attacking her dachshund in Cobb County.

And on Wednesday, Eric Thornton says an owl swooped down as he left his townhouse, cutting his head.

Atlanta Audubon Society spokesman Adam Betuel says owl attacks are rare, but recent cold weather might have made younger birds more aggressive.

___

Information from: WSB-TV, http://www.wsbtv.com/index.html