posted 318 days ago Dom:

Go Bri-let them have it like the solo from One Vision!

posted 586 days ago Foxglove22:

Everything is down to money, vaccination is the only answer to the Bovine TB but deemed too expensive.  Farmers will not pay for it, they would rather kill the animals first.  The expensive part will be the tragic loss of our wildlife for future generations.

It was the same during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 - you would have thought we were still living in the 1960s instead of the 21st century.  Thousand of animals needlessly slaughtered, when they could have been vaccinated.

Its about time the laws for animal welfare were stepped up, we are not the only being that are allowed to live on this planet.

posted 591 days ago Nicola Dingley:

Hi Sonia,

I'm so sorry to hear that, it is awful. It has made me so sad to hear this. You are right, it is against the law and these individuals are not above the law though they appear to believe they are. I hope you continue to care for the foxes, and continue to enjoy them the way all civilised, kind hearted people would. I know it is hard to believe at the minute, but if we all stick together and continue to fight for those without a voice, then things WILL get better. It really is awful what has happened to you and my heart truly bleeds for you and the poor, innocent foxes. Thinking of you at this sad time.

posted 591 days ago Alison Cooper:

Sonia I cant imagine how you feel. I live in the city and have never had the joy of ever meeting a fox never mind many. I just hate animal cruelty and this is the reason why I get out and try in my own little way to spread some knowledge. I feel devastated for you. Your in such a horrible situation and my heart breaks for you. Please dont stop what your doing,  as myself and many thousand of other people are fighting tooth and nail to make sure this doesn't ever get repealed. You are the true hero's and im going to walk with you every step of the way. I became involved after seeing a you tube video of a happy fox, and this is what drives me. If I ever get to meet a true life fox then I will pat it on the head and remember all the peeps like you who saved them. If the passion gets into your heart then its hard to shake off. Keep up the good work Sonia. I think your amazing.

posted 591 days ago Coral:

Thanks Nicola ... will do x

posted 591 days ago sonia hope:

Hi i dont no were to start not good at this kind of thing .I live in the contry in cornwall i have foxs i feed yesterday for burrow hunt came out the police could not do enything i seam to only have one fox out of 8 left there most be something we can do to stop this they just dont care.im so very sad about this iv got them over mange .and feed them value all in one dog food .we nead to do something about the hunters its men o be aganst the law what a jok.sonia

posted 591 days ago Lionel Cozens-Smith:

How freshing to find a forum not infested with banal diatribe but full of decently researched opinion and views.

I am from the farming community (with a small 30 acre holding of my own) and hear the arguments for culling. However, I have a firm belief and principal in life, I don't kill anything unless I'm going to eat it or it is going to eat me. This includes every creepy crawly, stinging, biting and annoying thingy and not just fluffy-wuffy, doey eyed cutesey animals.

Hence my disgust at the idea of culling badgers merely in the name of financial terms. Many of the letters below allude to the ineffectiveness of killing badgers and there's some brilliant evidence in regards to how the government are on a one course strategy with no more than a minor acknowledgement of alternative arguments against the killing.

I've read about half of the DEFRA website in realtion to the government consultation at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/tb-control-measures/index.htm and already I can see the gov. want to go ahead with this needless murder of animals. I haven't been able to work out why they should be so intent to do so. There's even figures presented from previous cull trials showing how it is more expensive to cull than pay out compensation.

On the point of compensation, do people realise that cows slaughtered because of TB infection still go into the human food chain? If the animal is lightly infected, which due to the slow incubation period of TB and the regularity of TB testing means there are very few cases of heavily infected cows, the infected part is cut out and the rest of the carcass then goes into the foodchain. No one should be alarmed by this itself as it is quite safe and indeed, I believe if infected meat is properly cooked it destroys any harmful TB cells that it may contain. What the gov shout about is the £63million spent each year paying out compensation to farmers,,, no one has ever asked or found out how much the government receive for the slaughtered animals.

There is so much twist and spin in the governments DEFRA website about the pro's of killing badgers and so much hidden away on the infectiveness as shown by all the previous government sponsored research, that I seriously am beginning to conclude that someone somewhere, is will be gaining some advantage in having the badgers destroyed? That statement must be taken for what it is,, a personal assumption.

I did write to Jim Paice, Agricultural Misinter re my cooncerns but got a the pre=printed respnse,,'25,000 cows slaughtered, £63 million spent, etc., etc.,'. I have my own suggestion for spending some of that research budget on electric fencing to keep the  badgers and cows seperated. In my simple world, this would be an effective method until such time that a vaccine can be properly applied to cattle. But it seems to simple :)

posted 593 days ago Nicola Dingley:

Sorry to go slightly off topic for a minute.... Just wanted to say, that is fantastic news about Lotus Brian! Am really pleased to hear that. Well done for all you do. I'd buy the car...I might not be able to give you quite what it could get if I were to do that mind, but I wouldn't mind one of those! ;0) Fab news, well done Brian. Take care. x Now....back to the Badgers.......

posted 593 days ago Dana Kubick:

Something else to consider re: the influence of the National Trust on the badger cull plan--on 17 September, Farmers Weekly posted an article online written by Johann Tasker with the headline:TB:Consulation: Badger Cull Plans Could be Scuppered by National Trust Ban.

Today, 1 October, they posted an article written by Caroline Stocks headlined: National Trust Backs Badger Cull Plans

Here is the complete statement from the National Trust as emailed to me today. I wonder who they think will monitor all the conditions they lay down--and who will pay for them.

Dear Ms Kubick,

Thank you for your email regarding badger culling on National Trust land. Below is the latest communication regarding the issue.

Bovine TB is a pressing animal health problem. In England, in 2009, it cost the taxpayer £63m and over 25,000 cattle were slaughtered as a disease control measure. Our responsibility as a major landowner, with hundreds of farm tenants that keep livestock, means that we are committed to making a positive contribution to the reduction of Bovine TB in both cattle and wildlife.

· Reducing cattle-to-cattle transmission of the disease, which research has shown is the main route of infection, is of prime importance. We accept that there is no point addressing cattle-to-cattle transmission without also addressing the wildlife reservoir of Bovine TB. We feel strongly that this should be done as part of a comprehensive package of measures.

· Scientific research shows that badgers are by far the most important wildlife reservoir of Bovine TB in the UK. Measures to break the transmission routes between badgers and cattle include physical barriers, vaccination and removal of badgers.

· If the criteria for a successful cull can be met (see below) - and it is legal and carried out to the highest possible welfare standards as part of a package of measures that includes more rigorous approaches to reduce cattle-to-cattle transmission - then we would not object to culls taking place in areas that include our land, where it can be shown all other routes have been explored.

· However, there are relatively few areas in the UK where these criteria can be met and developing an effective vaccination programme for badgers as part of a package of measures is therefore key to reducing Bovine TB in cattle and in wildlife in the long-term.

· We are looking critically at the proposals put forward by Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government. We hope to be able to open a constructive dialogue over how we might contribute to eradication of this disease.

Criteria for Successful Cull

The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) advised the previous Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs on how best to tackle the problem of bovine TB in cattle. This research involved the Randomised Badger Control Trials, some of which were carried out on National Trust land. The ISG criteria for a cull of badgers that could make a meaningful contribution to the reduction of the incidence of bovine TB in cattle were:

· the area of cull is sufficiently large to overcome the adverse effects of ‘perturbation’ resulting in infected badgers moving around the periphery of the culling area

· the boundaries of the cull area need to be as impermeable as possible to the movement of infected badgers, e.g. a major river or coastline

· a high percentage of badgers within the area need to be culled to avoid leaving a reservoir of infected and socially disrupted badgers as a source of further infection through the ‘perturbation effect’ . This will involve several consecutive years of efficient culls.

The research is clear that if these criteria are not met, a cull may increase the risk of the disease persisting and also increasing. For more information on the findings of the Independent Science Group visit: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/isg/index.htm

Kind Regards,

Pete

Membership Department

posted 593 days ago Charlotte:

We must just keep blitzing the National Trust on this. They will rue this decision!!

posted 593 days ago Nicola Dingley:

We really need to raise awareness and do all we can to protect our Badgers. I hear more underhanded tactics are being used to try and push through a cull...or mass murder to give it it's proper title. :0(

posted 593 days ago Country_Gran:

I've just returned from a week in beautiful, mystical Cornwall to see that I have amassed 73 emails!!! Working all day tomorrow and seeing a friend on her birthday in the evening - so I won't have time to catch up on this site. I'm posting an article which I may have posted before: If so; abject apologies but it's really interesting and - literally 'food for thought' ...

BADGERS

Full quote here

Source: Europe Intelligence Wire Publication Date: 11-APR-06 (From Western Daily Press)

Farm manager Dick Roper believes he has unlocked the secret of keeping TB out of his herd - and keeping badgers healthy on his farm.

And although he operates in the middle of a Gloucestershire TB hotspot, Dick Roper hasn't recorded a single case of the disease among his main group of more than 600 Aberdeen Angus cattle during the six years he has been applying his special remedy.

Every six months he drives around the setts on the 3,000 acres he manages at Northleach and puts down sweetened mineral blocks high in the trace elements selenium and iodine. They are left where badgers can reach them but cattle cannot.

The reason? He believes it's a deficiency of these minerals that has left the badgers susceptible to TB, and that itself is caused by a crop that forms a large part of their diet: maize.

Badger damage in maize fields is now a recurrent and growing problem, but compared with standard grass and grass silage, maize and maize silage are known to be low in trace elements.

The acreage down to maize in Britain has gradually expanded since the 1970s but the spread of the crop from the south to the north and west has been almost exactly mirrored by the spread of TB itself.

But before farmers switched to it, TB in cattle was a relatively easy problem to control: once reactors were taken out there was no reinfection from badgers.

The possibility of the link through badgers to maize dawned on Mr Roper seven years ago when he last suffered an outbreak in his own herd. All the cases involved a group of young cattle being fattened on maize silage. The grass-fed beef suckler herd was unaffected.

"I am just a farmer but I realised there had to be something behind the fact that we could just not get the disease out of the cattle in the yard that were on maize, " he said.

"And I spoke to old vets who had been dealing with TB in the 1960s and they told me there was no recurrence of the problem then: once the reactors were dealt with that was an end to it.

"When I checked through the records I found that the current TB outbreak in the South West started in 1985. "That was about five years after there was a huge expansion in maize-growing in the region, and we know there is a time-lag between selenium levels falling and the body's immune system becoming depressed.

"It all started to fit together. If the cattle were susceptible to TB because of the maize in their diet, then perhaps the badgers were as we l l . " MRRoper's theory fits precisely with the findings of Professor Max Lurie, of Harvard, who spent 40 years researching TB. He found mammals acquired immunity through a substance called tri-idothyronine, or T3, which requires both selenium and iodine to be produced. Mr Roper has even been running a permanent control group to test his theory on a separate, offlying 270-acre piece of land he manages near Cirencester.  There, badgers have not been given the mineral supplements - and the cattle kept on it have gone down with TB three times in six years.

He has presented his findings to Defra, which is proposing culling badgers to bring the current TB epidemic under control, with the suggestion that giving badgers a mineral supplement could be a more effective way of tackling the disease. So far he has had no official response.

"It's not going to be a panacea for every farm or every farmer, " he said. "We are lucky here because all our badger setts are in the centre and our fields are not crossed by badgers from anywhere else. "But what seems to emerge from this is that the badgers are as much victims of TB as the cattle and the farmers: all I am trying to do is to treat them exactly as any farmer would treat his cattle.

"And although we have TB all around us, and on one side only three fields from my cattle buildings, it appears to be working."

posted 593 days ago Dana Kubick:

Further to Jasmine's comment and her quotes from the National Trust's answer. My answer from them came today--the same answer and like Jasmine, I thought it was considered but ultimately positive, although it doesn't completely dismiss the posibility of culling.

Well, I did until I saw today's Farmers Weekly article with the headline "National Trust Backs Badger Cull Plans" That required a reply from me to the National Trust.

Here is the email address again, if I can encourage more of you to write to them too-- enquiries@nationaltrust.org.uk

Dear Pete, (he replied to me from the membership department)

At first reading, I found your reply considered and thoughtful. However you acknowledge that "The research is clear that if these criteria are not met, a cull may increase the risk of the disease persisting and also increasing."and give no indication of how many National Trust properties could truly fill all the criteria. You sensibly say "there are relatively few areas in the UK where these criteria can be met."

But can't you see, that despite the care you may take, using the words "we would not object to culls taking place in areas that include our land" is terrible.

Firstly, although you refer respectfully to the ISG and the Randomised Badger Control Trials, allowing badger culls goes against the conclusion reached by the ISG: (the bold emphasis is mine)

"The ISG ’s work ... has reached two key conclusions. First, while badgers are clearly a source of cattle TB, careful evaluation of our own and others’ data indicates that badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain. Indeed, some policies under consideration are likely to make matters worse rather than better. Second, weaknesses in cattle testing regimes mean that cattle themselves contribute significantly to the persistence and spread of disease in all areas where TB occurs, and in some parts of Britain are likely to be the main source of infection. Scientific findings indicate that the rising incidence of disease can be reversed, and geographical spread contained, by the rigid application of cattle-based control measures alone."

Why have you ignored this?

The second problem is significant.You may implement every caution, but your words are already being used as a rallying cry FOR the badger cull in general. Farmers Weekly is already using the headline "National Trust backs badger cull plans" http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/10/01/123804/National-Trust-backs-badger-cull-plans.htm

The article admits that criteria must be met, but the headline gives away the thrust of their argument--the National Trust backs the cull.

Do you want to be used in this way? I hope not. Are you underestimating the passion many people feel for native British wildlife? My husband and I will not support farmers in this plan, nor visit an area in Britain that is subject to badger culls. I'm certain we're far from alone.

with sorrow,

Dana Kubick

posted 594 days ago Nicola Dingley:

Hi Coral,

No, I'm not in Cornwall... Think it's great what you're doing though, raising awareness and giving the poor innocent Badgers a voice. If there's any way I can help...even if it's spreading the word, just let me know. Good luck with setting up the group...I'm sure you'll get a lot out of it as well as the Badgers! Look forward to hearing more... Take care. x

posted 594 days ago Alison Cooper:

Fantastic online petition....good stuff. Iv been a bit busy but im back now. Hope to read the posts more tomorrow as im just off to bed. x

posted 594 days ago Coral:

Nicola Hi. Setting up the group next week. Will report back to Save Me as it's good to stick together. Are you in Devon? Thanks to you too :)

posted 594 days ago Chris_Jardine:

Incase you haven't spotted it, the Online Petition against repealing the Hunting Act is ONLINE

See the SIGN our Petition button at the top right of your browser window!!!

Well done Bri and the Team!!!!!

posted 594 days ago Gabriel:

Brian ... I am a Queen fan for years (32) .. .. I have 41 years now and have always been passionate about your music and art in your veins ... but that of foxes and animals in general .. still under myview BIGGER Brian .. you are an exceptional person .. well thank you very much for being my friend .. long life ... thank you very much !!!... Gabriel (Barcelona)

posted 594 days ago tommy:

great site!

posted 595 days ago Nicola Dingley:

Hey Coral, It's AWFUL the cull is due to start there soon...I can't believe it... :0( It's great that you are trying to work to stop this. Have you set up a united local group with meetings and agendas? I'm sure you have so sorry if so.... How about keeping people up to date on here to ask for support if and when you need it, with specific dates and times so people can make arrangements in advance...? Just a thought.... Thanks for all you're doing. x

posted 596 days ago Coral:

The badger cull is due to start here in Devon soon. A few of us are planning to start a local group to oppose the cull at a local level, but I am very concerned that we lose impact by dividing into ever smaller groups. I would like to be able to keep this little local effort connected with groups such as Save Me, to hopefully unite us when numbers really count. Any thoughts please ... Brian? (or anyone else?) Keep up all the great work everyone xxx

posted 597 days ago hannah cullingford:

Also I'd like to add that we saw you (Brian) on the BBC news channel, Straight Talk, and were impressed and overjoyed to hear you express everything that we've felt so deeply for a long time so intelligently, eloquently, and gracefully, and so relieved to hear that someone with some clout is finally connecting up all the little isolated pockets of animal-welfare groups! - United we shall stand!!! :) Thankyou SO much! The power of coming together as an animal-loving-and-respecting community is, we think, not to be underestimated and the greatest source of hope!

Let's really put in the effort everyone and connect every dot there is going... get the word out far and wide and get as many comments and signatures in to DEFRA as possible. Could you potentially post the relevant links to your facebook ad twitter pages and then happy facebookers etc can multiply that manifold with a few clicks of the mouse!?

Can we get any more well-known and respected animal-lovers on board? There must be a list 'somewhere'! Suggestions folks...?

Benjamin Zephaniah

Paul MacCartney

Poss David Attenborough?

Is there any way you could use your influence to temp some fellow passionate scientists/musicians out of the woodwork?!! :D

Sorry if this is all a bit brash! - just late-night brainstorming that's all.

All comments welcome!

Hannah :)

Also it would be good to have a lead-in with a few big key points that would grab peoples' attention in amongst all the noise that is modern-living, that would put it concisely and powerfully and get folks really talking...? Something that is short and quick and easy to send on to others via fb, twitter and email and then should they want to know more in detail they could find it all here...? People are so damn busy these days with all their own stuff, it would have to stand out and be short and sweet but really make an impression on their souls... a tall order but possible?

posted 597 days ago hannah cullingford:

Hiya, forgive me as I haven't yet had enough time to read all the feeds but am a little confused about what's best to do re. online petition.. or PETITIONS!!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/no-to-culling-and-yes-to-badger-vaccination-as-the-way-forward/

http://www.backoffbadgers.org.uk/england/index.php

http://www.blackandwhite.info/php/letter.php

posted 597 days ago Jasmine:

I received a reply today from the National Trust re: Allowing farmers to cull badgers on National Trust property. These guys own 605,000 acres of land and they are making a decision whether to allow farmers to cull on their land. This is a huge decision! I wrote in a week or so ago with a few links to the evidence on vaccination vs culling and expressed my concerns. The response is quite lengthy so I won't post it all here (please Facebook me if you are interested in the whole letter), but it's clear they are extensively researching their options. Some things that stuck out:

"Scientific research shows that badgers are by far the most important wildlife reservoir of Bovine TB in the UK. Measures to break the transmission routes between badgers and cattle include physical barriers, vaccination and removal of badgers."

"If the criteria for a successful cull can be met - and it is legal and carried out to the highest possible welfare standards...then we would not object to culls taking place in areas that include our land, where it can be shown all other routes have been explored.

However, there are relatively few areas in the UK where these criteria can be met and developing an effective vaccination programme for badgers as part of a package of measures is therefore key to reducing Bovine TB in cattle and in wildlife in the long-term."

So, they are considering culling as a last resort and only if it is scientifically proven to work. Good response, but I'm not satisfied with culling being considered an option at all when the statistics they quoted came directly from the ISG report that stated clearly that culling would not make a meaningful contribution to controlling the disease. I'm pleased that they're really doing their homework on this and making an educated decision, but what is needed here is numbers and real evidence to push that dangerous option right out of their consideration. If you wish, please do express your concerns! Enquiries@thenationaltrust.org.uk

posted 597 days ago Nicola Dingley:

Hi Donna! Thanks! Me too! It's been hard not being able to keep involved...I have been looking in but just not able to participate! O.K now though hopefully! Right behind Brian for the Badgers! ;0) x

posted 598 days ago Nicola Dingley:

Hi Brian and everyone. I hope this post works as I have had lots of problems trying to post... I would just like to say thank you for fighting for the badgers. We are all right behind you and hopefully sense and common decency will win out...it has to, there are many innocent lives at stake here. I am right behind you as always. x

posted 598 days ago Chris_Jardine:

Bovine TB: The Scientific Evidence

Final Report of the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB Presented to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs The Rt Hon David Miliband MP, June 2007

http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/isg/report/final_report.pdf

The coalition government has announced a public consultation on whether a badger cull should go ahead and members of the public have been given until Wednesday 8th December to express their opposition.

Send your comments directly to the Government. Email DEFRA: tbbc@defra.gsi.gov.uk

posted 599 days ago Anne-Catherine Juilland:

I've never said it was going to be simple. I just strongly disagree with what's happening. Changing is never easy, but it's the only way to succeed. And that's why we're here. Sorry, I can't go on, I have to go :-(.

posted 599 days ago Anne-Catherine Juilland:

Donna, I totally agree with you and I know it's very difficult to change old ways. However, the old-way argument doesn't justify this behaviour.

Since vaccinating is the best option, it should be used. It might be more expensive now, but it will save lives and money to use it...in the end. It's time this killing behaviour changed.

posted 600 days ago Anne-Catherine Juilland:

I don't understand how they want to cull badgers DESPITE ALL THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES AGAINST IT. This truly shows that these people don't want to be take responsibility for Bovine TB, even if this is about to destroy British Wildlife and even culling badgers won't resolve the problem. This reaction is simply beyond understanding.

Well done Brian. This is a very good article and I completely agree with it.

posted 600 days ago Brettley:

I've been reading Labours a new life for animals pamphlet that was circulated before Mr Blair got into power. A message on this pamphlet signed by Blair said the Labour Party has "consistently show itself to be the only party to trust on issues of animal welfare" of course we know differently now as we really had to lobby them to bring on the free vote to ban fox hunting, we now know that Blair was trying to stop the bill from going through. It proves interesting reading in the light of Blair admitting that he "saved hunting". The honesty of the man.

posted 601 days ago Sarah Bullock:

Excellent interview on Hard Talk Brian!!

posted 601 days ago Christina Staines:

I read that DEFRA will not be testing culled badgers for TB. Surely they should make such a test? But thenDEFRA will be scared of what the public will say if they find out farmers were allowedto murderthousands of animals that were healthy.

posted 602 days ago Lynn Sawyer:

Donna, thankyou. I am not one of those people who is out all the time several days a week but will be making much more of an effort this week. I was talking yesturday to some very brave hunt monitors who have been threatened, punched, had their equipment stolen or broken etc and the police simply shrug their shoulders. Must be fair though a few police officers have done their best. I know that if I see a police officer at the hunt the general rule is s/he is there to do arrest me if possible whilst ignoring whatever the hunt is doing. Some hunt supporters have been arrested for assault but only after heroic attempts by the victims of the assaults. The CPS often then decide it is not in the public interest to prosecute. Last year 2 freinds were run over bya quad bike. One freind's arm was nearly crushed by the wheel (soft land though). The police did not bother to investigate or take forensic evidence from his coat (the tyre tracks), or look at the medical evidence they went through the motions and the CPS threw the case out for "lack of evidence". Sharp contrast to the full CID investigation into me walking across a field with a video camera!

posted 602 days ago Alison Cooper:

I think the Labour Conference will be used more as an awareness event I should image. But yes Alison I think your right. The Tory Conference needs all hands on deck. As many people as possible should be as near to the event as possible giving leaflets out and chatting some facts to who ever wants to listen. Just by stopping people and saying good morning, makes them feel like they cant refuse your leaflet. It doesnt matter if there anti or pro. I always finished by saying " have a nice day". This way they cant complain of harassment or anything. Its a great opportunity to get all the mps in the same place and batter them (with leaflets ) lol

posted 602 days ago Alison Sesi:

There is overwhelming support among Labour MPs to keep the hunting ban in place. I think that many of them have been approached more than once - as my MP indicated he was - probably by LACS, which has drawn up its own list, as well as others like myself. In addition, there's a list available to view on this site that tells its own story. For example, the MP for Sefton Central is a friend of mine and I made sure his views were known to 'Save Me' as soon as he won the seat. Birmingham is easier for me to get to and the main focus has to be on the Tories, but I wish 'all the best' to anyone going to lobby the Labour members.  

posted 602 days ago Lynn Sawyer:

My appeal against conviction under section 69 CJA 1994 was abandoned yesturday. According to the CPS judgement of Crown vs Jones was that it is not a defence to say that the "legal" activity interferred with is in fact not legal . My entire defence rested on the fact that the hunt were openly and obviously hunting wild mammals contrary to the Hunting Act with video footage and several witnesses to assert that fact. This judgement meant that I could not argue that the legal activity was not in fact legal and I had half an hour to abandon the case or face thousands of pounds in costs. A CID officer was present throughout the case and no expense was spared in pursuing it. My video camera was confiscated for 18 months. These disgusting people are thus emboldened more to continue ripping apart wild animals for fun knowing that the police will spare no expense in protecting them from monitors and sabs. I have been out today with the Heythrop and they were holding the hounds back and obviously searching for a fox in a stick pile, they moved very quicly when they noticed us filming them. I will be making a formal complaint against all officers involved in this corruption and urge that no-one worries about police resources to enfoce the Act, believe you me they have a bottomless pit when it comes to prosecting us!

posted 602 days ago Chris_Jardine:

Can we take any reassurance from this:

In a reply to a letter I wrote to my MP Chris Grayling, which he forwarded to DEFRA, Jim Paice replies in person. Here is the last part -

"Finally, please assure Mr Jardine that the Coalition has committed, as part of a package of measures, to develop affordable options for a carefully-managed and science-led policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent levels of bovine TB. We need to consider all the issues carefully, including scientific evidence, to work out the detail of the package to ensure we get it right. We will be looking at vaccine and culling options as part of that package. We are currently looking at the key relevant evidence, including published scientific evidence from Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) and subsequent post-trial analyses, to draw up proposals which we will publish for consultation."

Jim Paice MP

I have sent a copy of the full letter to Brian and the Save-Me team. I don't know if they have had time to consider it yet.

Jim Paice quotes earlier in the letter - "The evidence for a link between bovine TB in badgers and cattle was reviewed in 1997 by the Independent Scientific Review Group, led by Professor John Krebs. The Krebs group concluded that 'the sum of evidence strongly supports the view that, in Britain, badgers were a significant source of infection in cattle'. The trial was overseen by the independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG), which published its final report on 18th June 2007 (available on DEFRA website at the following link:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/atoz/tb/isg/report/final_report.pdf)

Evidence suggests that without addressing the problem in badger population, it will not be possible to eradicate TB in cattle."

posted 602 days ago Jen:

Yes - The Badger Trust is at http://www.badger.org.uk/

Well worth making a donation or joining HERE.

Agree with Betina. They are to be applauded and need support. The Badger Trust is in a kind of 'David and Goliath' situation - the little guy brave enough to stand up against the Big Guns of those in power. But of course, legal challenges whoppingly costly.

posted 602 days ago Alison Cooper:

I didnt know that the Countryside Alliance also had a stall at the Lib Dem conference, I wonder if they will have one at the Labour Conference. I know L.A.C.S and Back the Ban have got stalls for the Labour Conference. How can we find out if the CA will be attending. Any ideas?

posted 602 days ago queen:

hi

posted 603 days ago Betina Løvbeck Jensen:

Hi everyone. Just wanted to remind you all about the Badgers Trust. They had a great victory getting the cull postponed, but it cost big! I recently made a very modest donation, and as you know many drops can make a pond, please support if it's possible.

posted 603 days ago Chris_Jardine:

When is the Online Petition coming Brian?

posted 603 days ago Country_Gran:

Brian: Your article was truly great!  How on earth did you manage to do it with such a deadline? It's nothing short of miraculous.  Perhaps the Guardian Angels of the persecuted animals have joined us to inspire you. Thank you very much.  (And the angels if they did help!)

posted 603 days ago Brien Comerford:

Brian is the most articulate and refined advocate of the humane treatment of animals that I have ever read. His writing skills are emotive, evocative and compelling.

posted 603 days ago Alison Cooper:

Martin Horwood becomes the 16th Lib Dem MP to sign our conference pledge! #ldconf

posted 603 days ago Leah:

Hey mitch...it worked for me :)

@Donna...wow i didnt hear of that!  thats just ridiculous!  now we are playing god and that is gonna come back and bite them in the butt. i  cant see that ending well

posted 603 days ago Chris_Jardine:

Well said Brian!! I shall be sending a copy of your article to my MP! He gets a lot of stuff from me, as you know Bri!!

posted 603 days ago Alison Sesi:

"I really do inhabit a system in which words are capable of shaking the entire structure of government, where words can prove mightier than ten military divisions"

- Vaclav Havel

posted 603 days ago Alison Cooper:

Iv just tested it and it seems fine to me x

posted 603 days ago Mitch (Save-Me Moderator):

Sorry to interupt and go off topic but has anyone tried to create their own thread today? If it's still not working I'll get back to the tech team. Thanks.

posted 603 days ago Alison Cooper:

Well done Brian, us little people have joined your army and I think its fantastic. Especially as iv just heard the news that 15 Lib Dems have now signed up with the League team. Well done x

posted 603 days ago Leah:

@ Wende and Mark,

It is rather appalling how distressing it is....these people treat these animals as economic machines....with no regard for their souls, children or any feeling they have whatsoever.  it is much much cheaper to treat them like crap because  they can make more.  thats what corporate world is all about, exploiting someone or something to make yourself a couple bucks :(  there was an all day meat raising and packing panel at my university a month or  so ago  and this side really came out.  they were talking about ways they can make more profit, from marketing and all kinds of other things.   big corporation Animal agriculture is ALL buisness, and nothing more.  it was rather upsetting.  how have we gotten to this point!?  But thing is, it works for them because the vast majority of people buy this crap, so why change?  this is why we gotta make lots of noise! 

If there's a God in the sky looking down, What can he think of what weve done, To the world that he created?

posted 603 days ago Country_Gran:

Hi Mark: I totally agree with your comment, and remember reading a link - I think it was from here, in the discussion about the mega-dairy proposal in Leicestershire (so many cases of cruelty; so many links!), written by a farm vet who was so distressed about the cruelty and neglect of dairy cows NOW in the dairy farming 'industry' that he'd given up being a farm vet.

But I am very, very distressed and angry that the badger cull issue is still steaming ahead. I read an article from a guy who farms Herefords (I think), where he had a theory that Badgers are failing to receive certain trace elements in their diet.  This is written in a rush and I have to work now but when i finish I will send you a message on FB.

posted 603 days ago Leah:

You are such an inspiration brian.  Everything you are doing and saying...it's going to catch on.  people are going to start listening...especially if this issue stays in the news.  Thank you for being so passionate about it, and using your "fame" for lack of a better word, to be the person to shout about this.  THe things I'm learning about this issue....my god its appalling!!    I can't understand these people's thinking!  what happened to decency??

onwards and upwards....we must keep searching for the light at the end of the tunnel!

posted 604 days ago mark williams:

I found the news this week about the badger cull very upsetting. But Cows are animals too and the figures for all the deaths from disease and infections i found disturbing but not surprised by this. I live in Cornwall and quite close to Bodmin moor and Dartmoor and even to the layman like myself you can see that animal welfare is not on the minds of the people that farm. It’s another business like any other, however it’s a business that seems to reward failures, failures in business models and failures in husbandry. So while these farmers are getting tax payer money for failing nothing will ever change, there is no need to. Perhaps the government should look at other stimulus to get our farming businesses working properly and effectively. “Giving someone money because they killed a cow in their care is not an incentive to change” This way sickness and disease would be dealt head on and not the symptoms of bad practice...