Urgent Action for Badgers: Email Hilary Benn Today!
(also, job opportunity at Viva!/VVF below)
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Apologies for writing so soon after the last email update, but it has come to our attention that Hilary Benn (the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) will be taking a decision on the ‘culling’ of badgers in England within the next few weeks.
I know we often ask you to write, but it is absolute vital that the anti-‘cull’ voice outweighs the pro-‘cull’ one. Killing wildlife will not stop the spread of cattle TB. This may be our last chance to stop the wholesale slaughter of English badgers. Please write today and get everyone you to know to write as well.
Simply copy-and-past the pre-written message below
and send it to him via his website or by post as soon as you can.
Hilary Benn MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA –
or online at http://hilarybenn.org/contact
– or phone 020 7219 3000:
"Dear Minister
It is my understanding that you will soon make a decision on whether to allow the culling of badgers in England to try and stop the spread of bovine TB. I implore you not to allow the slaughter to go ahead as it will only end in the deaths of countless badgers, and not stop the spread of TB – it could actually make the situation worse!
Please adhere to the findings of the government initiated Independent Scientific Group (ISG) on bovine TB. The final report by the ISG categorically stated that “badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain” .The ISG found that weaknesses in cattle testing and the movement of cattle (110 million in the UK since 1998) were the keys to the spread of TB.
As you know, 95 per cent of the people who responded to the Defra public consultation on badger-culling in England were opposed to a cull. Even the National Trust has refused to allow culling to take place on its land.
Whilst snaring and gassing may have been ruled out as culling methods, night shooting and caging will still cause considerable stress to the animals – and many may be injured but not killed outright. The ISG report also found the incidences of baby badgers dying in setts after their parents had been killed by outside traps was increasing.
It is also my understanding that a report of pre-testing cattle prior to movement will not take place until the autumn of 2008. To allow any decision before this information has been studied would be wrong.
Any badger cull would be hugely unpopular with the general public – and rightly so. It will also cost huge amounts of money and cause untold misery for our wildlife – and according to the ISG will not work.
Please say no to culling badgers.
Yours sincerely"
What else you can do:
Visit www.viva.org.uk/badgers for more information on how to get involved.
Read Viva!’s new fact sheet on badgers and bovine TB here.
Regardless of the decision by Hilary Benn, Viva! will still be holding our National Rally for Badgers outside the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff on Saturday, June 28. We are campaigning for a u-turn on the decision to allow a trial ‘cull’ in Wales. Join us! Find out more here.
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Thanks again for all your support.
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