Badger cull order quashed
A CONTROVERSIAL cull of around 1,500 badgers in South-West Wales has been halted after protestors won a legal challenge.
The Badger Trust appealed against Assembly Government plans for a trial cull to reduce TB within cattle.
Campaigners had questioned the cull's effectiveness, though farmers losing diseased stock wanted action.
The Assembly government said it was "disappointed" with the Court of Appeal's judgement.
However, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West Peter Black has welcomed the decision.
He said: "I am delighted that commonsense has prevailed in this matter.
"All the scientific evidence pointed to the fact that this cull would not have achieved the reduction in bovine TB rates claimed and may have led to an increase in the disease in outlying areas."
However, Mr Black said the court's decision did not mean the threat of bovine TB should be ignored.
He added: "Trials of a new badger vaccine are already underway in England and the Minister should look at this method of control as a matter of urgency."
Among those who were also delighted with the result was Queen guitarist Brian May, who leant his support to the trust by attending a judicial review at Swansea County Court earlier this year.
Previously, the rock star said: "What right do we have to do this to any animals? "The badgers have as much right to live in Wales as we do."
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by Heather, Mumbles
Friday, August 06 2010, 5:17PM
“Great news. However, I do find the term "livestock" an insult, especially when you consider that every living being feels pain and that every living being wants to live!”
by Steve, Mayals, Swansea
Tuesday, July 13 2010, 5:49PM
“Every time there is an outbreak of cattle disease, the authorities respond with a predicable cull. As a result, our live stock never has the chance to develop immunity, and so the cycle of disease and cull is never broken. This causes a huge number lives to be unnecessarily lost, not to mention the financial cost to the government. Anyway, it great that sanity finally prevailed. Kudos to Brian May and the protesters for mounting this successful campaign.”
by fred, Llanelli
Tuesday, July 13 2010, 5:24PM
“Great new's So much for Plaid's Elin Jones by allowing this Killing of small animals, it has not yet been proven that they spread TB to cattle. and what is going to happen now with the New ConDem's in westminster over the Fox's Ban....? Kill Them or Not,”
by Tony, Skewen
Tuesday, July 13 2010, 5:02PM
“Congratulations to the Badger Trust on this victory over Elin Jones and the Welsh Assembly. Now will the Assembly see sense and think about a badger vaccination programme? If they don't and they continue trying to cull the badgers, they risk harming Wales' tourist reputation (there are calls to boycott Wales and Welsh products until the Assembly backs down) and we will have a huge police bill in West Wales.
There is no scientific evidence that badgers are transmitting Btb to cattle, but it is known that badgers catch Btb from the cattle! Previous culls have not worked, and there are serious doubts it would work this time, so why continue with this policy?”
by moneymakestheworldgoaround, gower
Tuesday, July 13 2010, 4:47PM
“no one knows for sure if the badgers give the cows TB or the cows give the badgers TB, but it is the animals that have no monetary gain for the farmers or goverment that get killed, Suprise Suprise. no one can claim compensation for a dead badger so therefore who cares, Elin Jones should be vaccinated for her small mindedness and lust for blood. The vaccination works, use it. And to all the farmers who are losing money hand over fist to the terrible disease of TB, stop people moving infected cattle, You know it happens !! everyone knows it happens apart from the muppets in command. When did any of you ask the real owner of the land the badger if he wanted to share his land with a smelly cow ????? How lofty we humans have become sitting on our pedestals dictating which badger/cow lives and who dies after our over farming of land infects them with a horrific disease.”