Owl sanctuary denies cruelty

Presenter Chris Packham and his Inside Out researchers have swooped on the Crow Lane complex with allegations of cruelty after an undercover cameraman posed as a volunteer helper at the owl sanctuary.

But the claims made in tonight's edition of the regional weekly watchdog programme due to be screened on BBC1 at 7.30pm have been completely denied by owl sanctuary boss Bruce Berry.

John Chitty, a veterinary consultant to the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural affairs, who monitors the owl sanctuary regularly as part of its zoo licensing conditions, told the Daily Echo he had found no evidence of any cruelty or mistreatment of birds there.

Mr Berry, a former chairman of the International Owl Society who opened the centre in a converted piggery 14 years ago, said the programme-makers had based their claims on the evidence of two disgruntled former owl sanctuary employees and dismissed the secret filming as underhand and distorted.

Former sanctuary managers Chris Milsom and Terry Garrard claim in the programme that, during their time at the sanctuary, staff despatched sick, injured or unwanted birds by dashing their heads against a concrete wall on the orders of Mr Berry.

The programme also accuses the sanctuary of mishandling wild birds, dirty conditions in aviaries hidden from public view, illegal release of captive-bred barn owls and paperwork irregularities in importing endangered species.

"As a bird-lover I was sickened by some of the secret filming," alleged Packham, best known for his wildlife film making.

Mr Berry, who declined to be interviewed for the programme, denies all the allegations and said the sanctuary had passed its government zoo inspection barely six months before the Inside Out team's visit.

"We are under constant scrutiny from the public, staff and volunteers, vets, conservation bodies and the RSPCA. If there was anything wrong somebody would have said something before now," he said.