The Badger cull... write to YOUR MP NOW

For months now the badger cull has been in the news and certainly hitting twitter pretty much every day.

It will be no surprise for you to hear that I am 100% against it.

I have badgers in my garden and in the forest where I live and they are a total joy to behold.

My research showed that all of the science indicates that a cull of badgers will make no meaningful difference to bovine TB (the disease it is aiming to reduce).

Luckily, the estate where I live is managed by the National Trust who have taken the advice of the scientific research and are going to implement a programme of vaccination for their badgers.

Without getting into the full info here (I will add links later), I'm posting my latest letter to my local MP, as the issue is due to be debated again this Wednesday in parliament - thanks to the Labour shadow MP for the environment Mary Creagh.

I urge you to write to your MP too and encourage them to vote against the continuation of the cull (appealing to them not only because of humane issue and farming practice issues you will see raised in my letter, but because today it has also been reported (by the UK's top badger expert Rosie Woodroffe) that to vaccinate would in fact be a cheaper option than culling.) If conscience doesn't get them then maybe money will - what am I talking about - they're politicians - its all about the bottom line isn't it?

Thank you.

Chantal xx



Toady's article about the cost of vaccination now being cheaper than culling:

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jun/03/badger-vaccination-cheaper-than-cull



 Write to your MP here:

 http://www.writetothem.com/



My letter to my MP (which you are free to copy / adapt and send to yours):


Dear Hugo Swire,

I'm writing to urge you to vote against the continuation of the badger cull which I believe will be debated again on Wednesday.

None of the science indicates that it will make a meaningful difference to bovine TB levels. AND the cull has angered the public to the extent that this issue has resulted in the largest ever signing of an online petition against the cull (nearly a quarter of a million people).

Can't we learn from Ireland's experiences? Whilst they do some (limited) culling of badgers, more importantly, the animal husbandry and biosecurity on their farms is considerably better than here in England.

Farmers in Ireland test their cattle every year for TB (we only test once every 4 years) and you cannot even set foot on the land of a farm without undertaking strict hygiene measures.

It is these good farming practices which are sadly lacking in England.

I live amongst a farming community - and whilst a few farmers still take pride and care in what they do, the state of some of the farms is without doubt, disgusting. They neither care for their animals or the surrounding countryside.

Here on the Killerton estate near to where I live, I am pleased to say that the National Trust has chosen to heed the science and vaccinate its badger population. Not only is this more humane than free shooting and wounding (without killing) thousands of bagders - but it will be more effective long term and enable this wonderful animal to remain a part of our countryside. It will also ensure cattle aren't slaughtered needlessly due to TB.

I'm hoping that common sense will prevail on this basis - but if not, then please also consider the latest report (based on your own government's statistics) that has found that to cull badgers would now actually be more expensive than to vaccinate them. Your party is all about saving the country money isn't it?

Please do the right thing for animals and our country and vote against the cull on Wednesday.



Yours sincerely,


Chantal DH