Recent heavy storms across southern England have prompted concerns that badgers caught in traps could suffer unnecessarily during the badger cull in Gloucestershire.
Cull operators are permitted to cage trap and shoot badgers until 30 November. Humane Society International/UK and local campaigners Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting, are concerned that trapped badgers could potentially be left in cages for up to 20 hours before being shot, risking suffering and death from exposure or drowning if the bad weather persists.
DEFRA’s guidance states that trapping should be suspended in bad weather if there is a risk that trapped badgers could suffer from extreme exposure. However, with no definition provided of what constitutes bad weather or how such a suspension will be implemented, HSI UK and GABS are seeking clarity on how compliance will be ensured.
Mark Jones, veterinarian and Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, said, “With cage trapping of badgers likely to play a significant part in the extended culls, there is a real danger that badgers trapped for many hours in poor weather conditions could suffer considerably before eventually being shot."
"As night temperatures plummet and heavy rains set it, death from exposure or drowning become real possibilities. There is no clear information about who determines when the weather is ‘bad’ enough for trapping to be suspended or how a suspension is communicated to the culling companies and enforced. We also don't know whether a member of the public who comes across a trapped badger in what they consider to be bad weather conditions, is at liberty to release it. With the potential for such animal suffering, this level of ambiguity and confusion is simply not good enough and we have written to DEFRA and Natural England requesting urgent answers."
Jeanne Berry of GABS, said, “With the weather likely to worsen and pressure building on cull organisers to increase the number of badgers shot, we fear that many of these animals will suffer unnecessarily. So far Natural England has not responded to our requests for clarity on enforcement of the best practice. People across the county are already angry about the cull and cannot bear to see animals suffer in this way. We don’t want supporters having to break the law to save badgers trapped in bad weather and we urge Natural England to confirm that best practice is being followed.”
