Final signature count:
62,429
62,429 signatures
toward our 75,000 goal
The UK government is moving forward with a badger cull to attempt to eradicate cases of bovine tuberculosis that have been affecting the badger population. Farmers are saying the badgers are infecting their cattle, and the government’s response has been to simply shoot the badgers.
The government lacks sound scientific evidence to prove that killing the badgers would alleviate the tuberculosis problem. There is no reason to kill these badgers in this way, especially with vaccination trials underway.
Write to the UK’s Prime Minister asking them to halt all plans to kill the innocent badgers and find better ways to control the tuberculosis outbreak.
<p>With the summer months upon us, the British government is moving forward with another round of badger culls. By their own admission, the program will depend on shooters, who have <strong>no previous experience killing badgers</strong>, hunting free-running badgers during night-time shoots. The cull aims <strong>to kill at least 70% of the badgers</strong> inhabiting the trial areas; unfortunately, estimates of badger populations have proven to be notoriously unreliable, meaning that the cull <strong>risks the local extinction</strong> of these badger populations, an act that violates the terms of the license granted for the culls. Further, a previous trial cull <strong>actually increased incidents of bovine TB</strong> as badgers spread to neighboring areas to establish new social groups. In short, these culls are inhumane, potentially illegal, and scientifically unsound. Rather than killing the badgers, England should adopt a program of vaccination, similar to the trials underway in neighboring Wales. Sign below to save badgers before it’s too late!</p><p>The Timeline:</p><ul><li>September 03, 2013: A <strong>second pilot cull begins in Gloucestershire</strong>, while the UK Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, refuses either to reveal statistics for the first week of culls or to comment on the humaneness of the killings.</li><li>August 26, 2013: Despite public protests and a clear lack of scientific support, the <strong>badger culls commence in Somerset</strong>, as the British government has opted to ignore these impassioned pleas and forge ahead with its kill-first mentality rather than pursue non-lethal alternatives.</li><li>June 01, 2013: The <strong>window for the two six-week culls begins</strong>. Actual start dates are contingent on weather, vegetation (for cover), and police advice.</li><li>February 27, 2013: <strong>Badger culls</strong> are approved after licensing conditions are met for Gloucestershire and West Somerset.</li></ul>
