Victory! No More Owls Will Be Used on ‘Harry Potter’ Tours
Warner Bros has confirmed to PETA that no more owls or other live animals will be used in the Harry Potter tours at Warner Bros Studio Tour London. This announcement follows a 2015 PETA exposé that revealed the mistreatment of owls used on the tours, prompting nearly 20,000 PETA supporters to contact the studio to urge it to implement a policy against using live animals.
PETA’s exposé shows that owls were kept in tiny cages and forced to perform confusing tricks for clamouring audiences. The birds can be seen chewing at their tethers and desperately thrusting themselves against the cage bars. A trainer even allowed visitors to touch the frightened animals, which can interfere with natural oils in their feathers that keep them warm.
Although no owls or other live animals have appeared on the tour since 2015, Warner Bros only recently confirmed that it had implemented a formal policy against their use. Other amusement parks across the UK should follow the company’s example and ensure that all of their attractions are animal-free.
Thank you to everyone who took action and contacted Warner Bros about this issue.
What You Can Do
Please visit our Action Centre to learn about more ways to help animals who are being abused in the entertainment industry. You can also join our Action Team to be kept up to date on similar campaigns in the future.
