The Badger Trust loses legal challenge to prevent a cull

'We are bitterly disappointed'

 

12.07.12 

We supported The Badger Trust's legal challenge of a badger cull in England as a means of tackling bovine tuberculosos (bTB) and are bitterly disappointed it was not successful.

Following the Westminster government's announcement in December last year, The Badger Trust requested a judical review of the government's decision to go ahead with a pilot badger cull in areas of Somerset and Gloucestershire later this year.

But today (Thursday, 12 July) the High Court ruled against the challenge.

'The fight is not over yet'

David Bowles, director of communications at the RSPCA, said:

We are bitterly disappointed that the UK government in England is ploughing on with plans to kill badgers, but the fight is not over yet.

We believe culling is not a long-term, sustainable solution and will be of little help in reducing the disease - perhaps even making things worse in some areas.

It will wipe out huge numbers of this much-loved species, virtually eliminating badgers from these areas, including many animals which are healthy.

There are 'more effective and sustainable' solutions

David added:

It is not as if there aren't alternatives to a cull.

Vaccination could be a more effective and sustainable way of dealing with the disease, and one which does not involve killing most of the badger population in very large areas of the countryside.

 

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Take action for badgers 

We think the Westminster government should follow the Welsh Government's lead which has opted for vaccination of badgers to combat the spread of bovine TB rather than a cull. 

• Join us in our campaign to urge the Westminster government to Back off badgers!

• And if you live in the affected areas - West Somerset and West Gloucestershire - find out ways you can campaign for badgers locally.
   

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