Emotional appeal after beautiful owl called Blinks missing from family farm in East Boldon
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Ashleigh Ferguson says her one-year-old barn owl, Blinks, is missing from Tileshed Farm, leaving its chick and breeding partner, Trigger, behind.
The mum-of-three noticed that Blinks was not in the aviary on the farm on Saturday, June 19 but believes that she may have been missing as early as Thursday.
Ashleigh, 37, said: "It’s horrendous, I just want her back.
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Hide Ad“She sometimes sleeps behind a box, so [it was only] when I went in with my ladder first thing on Saturday to take the box down and that I realised she was gone.”
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Although there are no visible signs to indicate an intruder has broken into the aviary, Ashleigh says there is no way Blinks could have escaped on her own, leading her to believe that her owl may have been stolen.
Ashleigh, whose grandad, John Ferguson, owns the farm where Blinks lives, is offering a cash reward for anyone who finds her.
"She is a hand-reared barn owl and she is beautiful,” Ashleigh said.
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Hide Ad"Everybody loves her. I feel sick that she is missing and I have been out looking for her.
”She has a chick which I brought home with me to hand-rear.
"I am gutted, she is a massive part of the family.
"We just need her home.”
Ashleigh says the owl has a registered birds of prey ring number that she will be able to verify if found.
If anyone sees Blinks they are asked to contact Ashleigh Ferguson on Facebook.