This is really sad, if it's true-

[mary_j_59]

Publisher's Weekly tweeted this. I hope Rowling will speak out against it; that might make some difference.

But really, kids old enough to read the Potter books ought to be able to tell the difference between fantasy and reality! One wonders how long this has been going on, and whether it's happening in other countries?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jhRNCtp8zTsk87bk5fe4cj6gQDIQ?docId=CNG.d38937404101e4d7e98cb91a23a3c053.721

Comments

[professor-mum.livejournal.com]

Well, not *everything* is Jo's fault. Whatever happened to personal responsibility or thinking for one's self? Unfortunately the story plays right into the quasi-religious and always sanctamonious HP haters camp.

[nemesister.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I think she already said something about owls not really being pets years ago. Had nothing to do specifically with India back then... So I doubt anyone's really listening.

[sionna-raven.livejournal.com]

Things like that happen every time animals are featured in popular movies. Rescues have been flooded with unwanted dalmatians after the Disney movie; St. Bernhards became fashionable, after 'Beethoven' etc.
With wild animals this is surely worse. A clear statement against it from JKR and WB is the least they can do.

I remember the reaction of the German children's book author Cornelia Funke (Inkheart; Thief Lord), when she was informed that a group of girls formed a gang and bullied their classmates under the names of her series 'Die Wilden Hühner (Wild Chicks)'. Funke not only addressed it at her website, but met with the victims and the bullying girls and forbid the use of the name. She said it is totally unacceptable that her books should be used as inspiration for such behaviour by so-called fans.

[oryx_leucoryx]

Years ago Rowling wrote something on her site about this - see Owls. But I doubt those kids (and their parents) read Rowling's site.