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MPs are being pressured to halt badger culling plans in Derbyshire, England.
The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is considering the county as one of ten new badger cull zones that would come in effect later this year.
Environmental charity Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, who ‘totally oppose’ badger culling, has created a petition calling on MPs to block the plans – receiving more than 2,500 signatures.
The organization currently runs the UK’s largest badger vaccination program, ‘proving that there is a much more humane way to tackle bovine tuberculosis that is also at least 60 times cheaper per badger than culling’.
‘Wasting tax-payers money’
Tim Birch, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Head of Living Landscapes, told Plant Based News: “Over the past five years, we have worked tirelessly with many partners to establish the largest and most effective badger vaccination program in the country. We have vaccinated hundreds of badgers and worked with over 47 landowners. The Government has provided hundreds of thousands of pounds to help support our badger vaccination work.
“Sadly, all this work could now be put in jeopardy. If a cull arrives, it is quite possible that vaccinated badgers would be shot. This risks wasting tax-payers money and makes no sense at all. We need the Government to continue to support our vaccination program and help us expand it and are asking people to contact their MP.
“Vaccination needs to be allowed to continue exclusively. We are calling on the Environment Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Theresa Villiers to stop any cull coming to Derbyshire and invite her to visit our vaccination program to see our work at first hand.”
You can sign the petition here
