Badger campaign success in Gloucestershire?

Opposite the Lockkeepers cafe/bar in Stroud

Update here, 25th Aug, as we hear the cull is to go-ahead.

As regular blog readers will know many of us have campaigned long against the ridiculous, cruel, unnecessary and potentially counter-productive cull of badgers. Well there is little official response and there is a rumour in some press that it seems increasingly likely that there will not be enough farmers signed up to cull in Gloucestershire....?

It is reported that quite a number of farmers have pulled out leaving less than the necessary 70% of the land signed up. Defra have denied any problems and have also remained quiet on the exact boundaries and the start dates. If not enough farmers sign up then a North Dorset cull zone has been prepared as a back-up. Already they have been having big public meetings there....

The HM Government e-petition, launched by coalition Team Badger, fronted by May, and signed by many individuals and organisations including loads in Glos received more than 263,000 signatures. It is the largest ever petition.

The cull was rumoured to start at the beginning of August - if it does go ahead, shooters expect to kill 80% of the badger quota in the first 3 days of the cull. I hope more will see sense that the proposed cull has no real scientific backing and look to solutions that can reduce the severe impact of Tb on cattle and farmers. For more on badgers click the tab below.