The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA) has submitted
a response to the Government�s consultation on the culling of badgers in
connection with TB in cattle (bTB). They strongly disagree with the
Government�s preferred option to cull badgers and are disappointed at
the failure of the consultation document to attach intrinsic value to
badger life. ASWA�s position is that badgers are part of God�s creation
and should be valued as such, and this is the underlying principle on
which their opposition to a cull is based. They are also concerned about
the way any cull would operate.
ASWA is concerned about the welfare issues of a cull. The
Government�s preferred option would include allowing farmers and others
to shoot free-running badgers, and this will inevitably lead to some
badgers escaping with wounds - especially as shotguns are likely to be
widely used*. The cull will not be selective and TB-free badgers will be
killed alongside affected ones. It is very rare for infected badgers to
suffer as a result of infection with TB, so killing them does them no
favours.
ASWA also believes that in terms of effectiveness in reducing TB in
cattle the Government�s paper fails to make a convincing case, and
points out that the authoritative Independent Scientific Group on Cattle
TB (ISG), commissioned by the previous Government to advise on this
issue, concluded that �badger culling can make no meaningful
contribution to cattle TB control in Britain �. ASWA is concerned that
the present Government�s preferred option to license farmers to cull
goes against the ISG�s conclusion that �licensing farmers to cull
badgers will risk increasing and spreading bTB* in cattle�: this effect
is caused because members of badger populations under attack will move
outwards, and any infected badgers thus spread the disease to other
areas (perturbation).
ASWA supports robust testing and control regimes for cattle (also
proposed by the ISG), which have been shown to be effective in reducing
the spread of bTB, and learning from farmers who have consistently
maintained TB-free herds in areas otherwise heavily infected. They also
believe research into why Scotland is bTB-free may also provide relevant
answers.
ASWA believes the future lies in the vaccination of badgers and
cattle as a key measure. Vaccination of badgers as a viable option is
not far away, with a trial currently running in Gloucestershire and
research on an oral vaccine under way. However, ASWA regrets strongly
that the Government has abandoned other trials planned by the previous
one.
In financial terms, even if a successful cull were possible, which
ASWA does not believe, the Government�s own consultation paper refers to
�the marginal financial benefits that badger control offers�. Indeed,
says ASWA, the paper presents no evidence to show that any financial
benefits achieved would be greater than the cost of culling.
Concluding Summary ASWA�s opposition to a badger cull is based
fundamentally on the value of badgers� lives as God�s creatures; but
also on the suffering involved, the questionable effectiveness of
culling, the availability of other more effective options, and strong
doubts about cost-benefit. They urge the Government to listen to the
public opinion against a cull.
* shotguns are not suitable for a rapid kill at distance in the way
rifles are
**bovine TB
www.aswa.org.uk .
Return to Announcements
