Stop the badger cull now!

Latest News from the League Against Cruel Sports

The Badger Cull has begun

Sadly it seems that bank holiday Monday saw the beginning of the pilot badger culls. As reports come in it is believed that operations are under way in the Somerset cull zone in Exmoor and will likely begin in Gloucestershire this week.
We will keep you updated.

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NFU Injunction Update

The League supported the Badger Trust in challenging an injunction made by the National Farmers' Union to restrict “persons unknown” from peacefully and lawfully protesting against the Government’s cull.  After hearing the argument by the Badger Trust a far more reasoned and balanced order was made.

The final  injunction has been amended from the draft and now states that -

  (1) PERSONS UNKNOWN, participating in unlawful activity designed to harass farmers, land owners and occupiers and/or otherwise interfere with badger cull pilot schemes.

This means that it only attaches to those engaging in unlawful protest. For more information the Badger Trust have released a clarification document on the injunction.

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The trial culls which form part of the Government’s long term initiative to tackle the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) will see a devastating 5,000 badgers killed using the method of controlled shooting over the next few weeks.

The League, as part of Team Badger are urgently calling on the Coalition Government to see sense and listen to science, ethics and public opinion which all come out against the badger cull. We will continue our campaign to see this cruel and unnecessary policy of culling badgers dropped – But, we need your help.

We need the public to express their absolute opposition to the badger cull so that even if the current pilot culls take place, at least we can stop them spreading to other areas. There are different ways to do this, and you can help by doing some (or all) of the following:
Current actions against the badger cull

• Please contact your MP and urge them to sign EDM299 to stop the badger cull being rolled out across the country if they haven't already done so. 
• Members of the public can sign the “Stop the badger cull” ePetition set up by Dr. Brian May, which has already collected more than 245,000 signatures. If it exceeds 260,000 signatures, it will be a record for this type of petition. Sign the petition now!   
• Team Badger launched a “Myth Busters” document on 5th June. This document, which is a culmination of work and research by Team Badger members refutes the top ten myths supporting the badger cull in England and explains why the cull is doomed to fail. Please share this document far and wide – View it here.   

• Social Media – Every Monday between 11am and 1pm is #badgermonday on Twitter. So if you have a Twitter account please express your opposition to the cull by using the hashtag #badgermonday between 11 – 1pm. Also every Tuesday is #PetitionTuesday – Please share the link to the Badger Cull E-petition every Tuesday. 

What's happened to date

The Labour Party tabled an Opposition Day debate on the Government's plans for a badger cull. Parliament narrowly voted against Labour’s motion calling for the badger cull to be abandoned. 250 MPs voted in favour of the motion and 299 MPs voted against, a difference of just 49 votes, despite the Coalition Government instructing (known as whipping) its MPs to vote against the motion.
Earlier the same month, the National March Against the Badger Cull saw thousands take to the streets of London on 1st June to show their opposition to the cull. The march was organised by London Against the Cull and supported by the League and other animal welfare organisations.

Public meetings were also held in both Taunton (20th April) and Dorset (24th May), by Team Badger. Speakers included musician Brian May; Gavin Grant, Chief Executive of RSPCA; and Steve Jones, retired dairy farmer and leader of the “not in this farmer’s name” campaign.