owls

Wesley the Owl is a fascinating story about the 19 years Stacie O’Brien shares with Wesley, a barn owl.  Stacie, an employee at Caltech, is offered the opportunity to raise a barn owl.  She immediately accepts the offer and throws herself into the arduous but overwhelmingly poignant task of creating a happy and long life for her new feathered baby.  Wesley thrives in Stacie’s care, and Stacie, in return, becomes the best owl mother a baby owl could ask for.  At a very funny moment in Wesley’s life his relationship with Stacie changes, and he chooses her as a mate.  Because of The Way of the

As a researcher at Cal Tech in 1985, Stacey O’Brien made an easy target when a four day old barn owl with an injured wing needed a permanent home. After Wesley had consumed Stacey’s life I have to wonder if, had she known, she would have taken on the responsibility.

Wesley lived close to 20 years, and during that time was totally dependent of Stacey for survival. She had to provide him with no less than 6 mice each day, more when he was molting. Owls mate for life and, since he considered Stacey his mate he defended her vehemently. Because PETA was breaking into research facilities and