The owner of a missing eagle owl found on Wednesday evening has shot down claims the bird could harm young children.
Tank escaped from its home in Curragh Grange, Co Kildare, while being fed on Friday.
The bird has a 6.5-ft wing span and pressing power of one tonne per claw.
But owner Lezley De Loughry said media reports that the bird is dangerous are false.
Owl capable of eating deer goes missing in in Co Kildare
Speaking before her bird was spotted, she told RTE Radio One: “She is a pet, that story grew wings. We had said if anybody sees her, not to try and pick her up because her talons are really strong, they’re that strong they could kill a small deer but that was completely taken out of context.
“It’s just so that nobody would pick her up, because she’d get scared and flap her wings, but she’s not going to go after anyone.
“She’s not going to be swooping down picking up children or deers.”
