Due to the increasing prevalence of bovine tuberculosis infection rates affecting cattle herds in the UK, DEFRA, the UK government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has decided to begin a random and controversial slaughter of wild badgers, currently being blamed for the growing number of bTB transmission incidents affecting British cattle. With only negligible and contradictory scientific data being cited as the sole justification for implementing this course of action, many believe that this barbaric cull must simply not go ahead.
The proposed cull will commence in two pilot areas, Gloucestershire and West Somerset, as early as the 1st of June 2013, with the culling licenses being issued by Natural England.
Despite vehement opposition from the British public, leading scientists, animal welfare organizations and high profile celebrities, the UK government is determined to continue with it’s plan to indiscriminately slaughter and exterminate between 70,000 and 105,000 wild badgers, ultimately hoping to achieve a derisory 9-16% reduction in bovine tuberculosis disease incidents over a period of 9 years. The fact is that these statistics should be considered guesswork at best, with many leading scientist believing that the cull could potentially increase bTB infection incidents amongst British cattle.
Badgers are among the most legally protected species of animal in the UK, guarded by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. Despite these legal protections, Badgers in the UK will soon be subject to a sustained campaign of animal genocide, implemented solely to increase profitability within the UK bovine meat and dairy industries. And despite Natural England only issuing cull licenses to to applicants that allegedly have ‘the skills, training and resources to cull in an efficient, humane and effective way’, the reality is that the proposed method of execution, sniper fire, poses many serious and unanswered questions regarding the welfare and humane treatment of wild badgers, and all other animal species that reside in proximity to targeted badger setts.
Ultimately, this is an issue for the British public and the British government. However, that does not mean that the international community who are concerned with all animal welfare issues cannot help support those here in the UK who are opposed to the cull. On the contrary, we need the voice of concerned global citizens now more than ever.
There are many things that you can do to voice your opposition to the proposed badger cull, and help to get the plans scrapped completely.
The most important step you can take is to completely boycott all British bovine meat and dairy products.
You can sign and share these two important petitions –
– https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/badgers-petition – UK Postcode required
– http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38257 – UK Postcode required
You can contact DEFRA, regardless of where you live in the World, and tell them you are outraged and shocked by the proposed plans to cull wild badgers in the UK –
email – defra.helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Write – DEFRA, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, UK, SW1P 3JR.
Telephone – 08459 33 55 77
Telephone from outside UK – 0044 207 238 6951
Tweet – https://twitter.com/DefraGovUK
You can also write to your MP and urge them to oppose the proposed badger cull –
Find your MP here – http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/
You can also contact Owen Patterson, British Conservative Party politician and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, again voicing your shock and outrage at the proposed cull –
email – patersono@parliament.uk
Write – Rt. Hon. Owen Paterson MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Telephone – 020 7219 5185
Telephone from outside UK – 0044 20 7219 5185
You can ‘Like’ these Facebook pages to show your support and raise awareness by reading and sharing their posts regarding the proposed cull –
https://www.facebook.com/BadgerArmy
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-British-Badger-Cull/253677804659014?fref=pb
https://www.facebook.com/stop.the.cull?fref=pb
https://www.facebook.com/StoptheCullCampaign
https://www.facebook.com/SaveMe2010
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-English-badger-cull/115370121837897?fref=pb
Please also follow these Twitter accounts and when you Tweet try and include the #stopthecull hashtag –
https://twitter.com/BadgerTrust
https://twitter.com/TheTeamBadger
https://twitter.com/BackOffBadgers
https://twitter.com/SaveOurBadgers
Please check out these websites for much more information and ways you can help –
http://www.badger.org.uk/Content/Home.asp
http://www.justdosomething.org.uk/
http://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaigns/wildlife/badgers
http://www.league.org.uk/content/643/Badger-Cull
http://www.viva.org.uk/campaigns/badgers/index.php
http://www.glosagainstbadgershooting.org/
http://www.badger-watch.co.uk/
Please consider attending this protest organised for the 27th of February, outside of the National Farmers Union Conference in Birmingham, meeting at 9.30 am at the International Convention Centre
https://www.facebook.com/events/489136444464559/?ref=ts&fref=ts
Please watch this informative video regarding bovine TB and wild badgers –
And also, please check out these Wikipedia pages for more information
RoseDixon.net 