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Owl Sanctuary Founder Stripped of MBE After Animal Welfare Convictions

Officials acted after inspectors found 31 owls kept in cramped, untreated conditions.

Overview

  • The Forfeiture Committee recommended removal and the King approved it, with the honour now cancelled on the official register.
  • A London Gazette notice confirmed the forfeiture, which requires the return of the insignia and bars use of the MBE title.
  • Cumbria Police and the RSPCA seized 26 owls from a Brady’s Yard lockup and five from a Foxfield Lane property during the 2022 investigation.
  • Rose pleaded guilty in 2024 and received a 20‑week jail term suspended for two years along with a five‑year ban on owning or keeping birds.
  • He was awarded the MBE in 2001 for services to the defence industry, while a local sanctuary manager called the honour’s removal insufficient.