Council forced to consider badger cull shooting ban
CAMPAIGNERS against the badger cull have forced Gloucestershire County Council to consider banning shooting on their land.
More than 700 people signed a petition, which will see scrutiny bosses debate the topic later this month.
The signatures were put together by action group Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting and handed to Simon Harper from the council's democratic services team yesterday.
The group wants to see a vaccination worked on rather than the trial cull, which is scheduled to take place in the county in the autumn.
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The petition calls for a ban on culling on council owned, managed or controlled land.
District councillors at Stroud have agreed to do that and their Tewkesbury counterparts will consider the same motion on Tuesday.
Charlotte Phillips, from Churchdown, was one of the six people who turned out to see the petition handed in to Shire Hall.
The unemployed 40-year-old said: "I think it is an appalling situation that they are looking into killing, and it is killing not culling, these animals.
"To me it is victimisation, but the shooting lobbyists, farmers and powerful government won't listen to us until it is too late.
"We are trying to speak up for the voiceless victims that these badgers will become."
Richard Rukin, 44, from Leckhampton in Cheltenham, handed the petition over and helped collect signatures.
He said: "I think the public are largely unaware of the situation and I just want to see them looking for a vaccination solution instead of just shooting them – so many people believe that this should be the first port of call.
"Shooting them will just cause them to scatter and it will spread the disease further.
"There is no testing for TB and so it is just blindly shooting them and a non-lethal measures really should be the first point of call."
Liz Gaffer, a spokesman for the group, said: "We were surprised how many people were aware of the science that disputes this method of trying to control bovine TB, and who would rather the Government help farmers by investing in a programme of vaccination."
On Friday, September 14, Queen guitarist Brian May will be speaking at a public meeting about the cull at the Bells Hotel in Coleford from 6.30pm.
He is a high-profile campaigner against the badger cull.
Comments
by GlosYap
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 1:53PM
“Commentary brought to you by Lockheed Martin and Haliburton...”
by GlosYap
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 1:51PM
“Come on where is your evidence? Everybody* knows that badgers target humans through cattle with biological terrorism, they hoard oil, run undemocratic regimes, and foster fundamentalist badger thought amongst other woodland creatures. Who can forget the tragic events of 2001 when a team of badger jihadi flew airliners into the DEFRA headquarters? Badgers threaten the very security of our wonderful freedoms and must be destroyed.”
by dodgethebulle
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 11:41AM
“Independent scientific studies have shown that culling would be of little help in reducing bovine TB, and even suggest that it could make things worse in some areas. To hear the facts, press play on the video above.
If you want the government to make the sensible choice. Sign the Petition
http://tinyurl.com/9ndb3ty
http://tinyurl.com/9lmonj3”
by GlosYap
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 1:20AM
“Im thinking Tim might have a point though. If it is for the control of infection can a landowner actually refuse DEFRA officers access to land?”
by Walker100
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 12:58AM
“Ms_Superstar, supporters of the cull have the right to organise a petition in exactly the same way as opponents do. I'm surprised they haven't done so, or perhaps they think they may not get the requisite number of names on such a petition....just a thought.”
by Walker100
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 12:57AM
“Hi TimMessenger, if DEFRA cannot show that the cull can be carried out on a minimum of 70% of the land in a cull area then it cannot go ahead. As major landowners Councils can decide whether or not to allow culling on their land. If the electorate request that no culling is allowed then it goes a long way to stopping the cull.”
by Ms_Superstar
Monday, September 10 2012, 1:19PM
“Seems a very biased article - there is no voice given to supporters of the cull, and only "more than 700" signatures seems a very small amount in opposition.
I have no opinion one way or the other - I just like to see fair and unbiased reporting.”
by LordGagas
Monday, September 10 2012, 1:12PM
“if people didn't drink the pus a cow produces for her calf, we wouln't have this problem.”
by Freeborn_John
Monday, September 10 2012, 1:00PM
“Foot and mouth and bovine TB are not the same as you well know Tim, and to make the comparison is stupid and puerile.
The independent research shows that a cull is not the best way forward. Simple.”
by TimMessanger
Monday, September 10 2012, 12:29PM
“Like you have the right to stop DEFRA during foot and mouth?”