The Badger Group Incidents Officer has been working with the group for many years. This is the person that takes the call when a badger has been run over, or when a suspicious incident is in progress or has occurred. It’s no easy job, made harder when you care so genuinely for wildlife, and regularly see the evidence of cruelty.
To arrive at a badger sett, that has had many years of peace, that I have watched, for many years. Seeing the cubs, on their first outing, mum being wary, cubs playing. The family – foraging, playing, collecting bedding, all is well.
Then, devastation. The badger baiter!
The scared little terrier, he’s been down before, he has the scars to prove it, is pushed into a dark tunnel. He knows what awaits him, but he has no choice. He finds a chamber with a badger waiting, she’s frightened, she has cubs. The two start to bite at each other, the terrrier’s jaw is mauled, the badgers snout is in bits. The sound comes from above ground, the baiters are digging. The badger cant take her cubs to safety, the terrrier is blocking her. Scared, she waits, until her safe chamber is broken through by spades. She is dragged out, her cubs screaming for her. She fights, to save her cubs, it’s useless, the baiters have bigger dogs waiting for her – if she fights too hard, they will break her jaw and cut off her front claws, she has no chance.
They slit her cubs with a knife and throw them to their dogs. Finally, they batter her to death.
Is this the kind of society, that we want?
The proposed badger cull will make this an every day occurrence
STOP THE CULL
If you suspect someone of badger baiting, contact the police or call us in confidence (0844 870 7908). If you see a crime in progress or suspect one is about to be committed, call the police, and ask them to contact us for advice.