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Ministers braced for animal-lovers' anger over badger cull plan
Government
expects legal challenges from wildlife activists as it consults on how to tackle TB in cattle
By
Matt Chorley, Political correspondent INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
Farmers in England
are to be issued with licences to cull badgers under plans to halt the spread of tuberculosis in cattle herds, which will
spark a storm of protest from animal lovers.
Caroline Spelman, the
Environment Secretary, will risk legal action – and the wrath of generations of Wind in the Willow readers – to
give the go-ahead for a cull in the areas worst affected by the disease.
The
coalition will launch a public consultation later this month on the precise details of the scheme, which would allow landowners
who can prove the measures are necessary to cull and vaccinate badgers over an area of at least 50 square miles.
As well as the distress to farmers caused by the slaughter of infected herds – 25,000
cattle were destroyed last year – the ongoing crisis which has gripped the countryside also costs the Treasury millions
every year. Compensation payments totalled around £90m in 2009, with cases concentrated in the south-west of England.
The move will not be without controversy. Politics and wildlife rarely make happy bedfellows.
Labour endured a storm of protest after bringing in a foxhunting ban which has proved almost impossible to police or enforce.
A senior source at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said:
"This will not be popular with people who view badgers as something from Wind in the Willows or Beatrix Potter, but it
is the right thing to do. We cannot go on not taking action to deal with this huge problem."
While there is widespread evidence that badgers carry TB and can pass it to livestock, a decade-long study, costing
£35m, by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB, concluded that culling could not "meaningfully contribute"
to control of the disease because it displaces the badgers, spreading the disease over a wider area. As a result, the Labour
government rejected calls for a cull, and instead focused on vaccination. However, the issue remains contentious, with the
former chief scientist Sir David King saying culling has a part to play.
A cull
ordered by the Welsh Assembly has been dogged by controversy and legal challenge, costing the taxpayer £57,000. In July,
the Badger Trust, which opposes any cull, won a court appeal to halt a planned cull of 1,500 badgers in north Pembrokeshire
and parts of Ceredigion.
The coalition is braced for a challenge in England,
where the cull is likely to be larger. Earlier this year, the Farming minister Jim Paice stressed the need for civil servants
to "get absolutely everything sorted before we commence" because campaigners would challenge the plan through judicial
review. "We must make sure that either they are convinced they can't win, or we win if it does go to review,"
he said.
Earlier this year, researchers from Imperial College London and the
Zoological Society of London suggested repeated culling of badgers reduces the incidence of TB in cattle, but the benefits
disappeared four years after the programme ended.
To cull or not to
cull?
In favour
Sir David King, the former chief scientist, believed the high cost of a cull would be offset by the reduction in
TB.
Peter Kendall, the president of the National Farmers' Union, said of
a decision not to cull: "This is devastating for the farming families whose lives and businesses are being ruined by
TB in cattle."
Against
A 2008 study by the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB said culling could not "meaningfully contribute"
to controlling the disease.
An Imperial College London and Zoological Society
London study found the practice to be cost-ineffective.
Government trials have
concluded that culling only works over more than 300sq km, otherwise badgers just move.
When
I first read the above article I was convinced it was written by the Tory Graph (Daily Telegraph) - not for a minute
did I think it could have been written by a journo from the Independent. Such is the bias that spewed forth in this pile
of crap written by a reporter who obviously hails from a farming family or else has connections to the
hunting set. Whoever he is - he views animals as commodities to be used and abused as anyone, for whatever reason.
When will we ever have compassion flowing from journalistic pens, instead of poison.
GIVING LICENCES TO FARMERS WILL
BE OPEN SEASON FOR BADGER BAITERS, TO TORTURE ANIMALS TO DEATH.
Judi
Sadistic' fox killer jailed
by KATIE BOWLER
A MAN who killed a fox “in a sadistic and prolonged act of cruelty”
has been sent to prison for five months and banned from keeping dogs for life.
William
Burrell, 50, of Short Street, Stapenhill, was jailed after being found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to
a wild animal by confining it to a cage before allowing a dog to attack, and causing or attempting to cause an animal fight.
Burrell was arrested and taken into custody by officers after a one-and-a-half hour sentencing hearing at Burton
Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
At a previous hearing it was said Burrell caged the fox for
eight hours before fitting a lead around its neck and ‘slinging’ it in a dog kennel to be mauled to death “like
a rag doll.” The fox finally died from a ‘fatal blow’ to the head with a piece of wood. Burrell had claimed
he killed the fox instantly with three blows to its skull, before slinging the animal’s dead carcass to a Staffordshire
bull terrier kept in a pen at his house.
John Sutcliffe, prosecuting, said this act of cruelty
‘shows total lack of humanity’.
He said: “If he is able to do this to an animal
who knows what else he is capable of? “Burrell is clearly not capable of keeping animals, and with behaving the way
he has, I’m calling for a life-long ban to prevent him from keeping dogs again.
“He
killed the fox in a sadistic and prolonged manner.” Simon Dean, defending, said: “My client accepts what he did
was wrong, he’s very sorry, and understands how serious this matter is.
“He should
not have behaved like that. I think unpaid work would be more beneficial as this would be like pay back to the community.”
However, magistrate Linda Cooper said the offence was so serious jail would be the only option.
She said: “For the serious offence of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal you will go to prison for
five months and for causing an animal to fight you will also serve five months, to run concurrently.
“Had
you pleaded guilty you would have only served three months.
“You carried out a sadistic
and prolonged act of cruelty and deliberately put the fox in the pen to fight.” RSPCA Inspector Penny Barker said she
was ‘extremely pleased’ with the sentence, as this was the ‘worst and most horrific’ case of animal
cruelty she had ever seen in her career.
She said: “This incident will send out a strong
message that this behaviour will not be tolerated and people caught doing such acts will be prosecuted. I hope this warns
other people.” Inspector Barker added: “It is not an offence to catch a fox in a humane trap. However, the way
in which the animal is disposed of must be humane. The manner in which this fox was killed was both illegal and inhumane,
causing barbaric suffering to the animal.
“The RSPCA recognises the necessity of capturing
animals on a limited scale for a variety of reasons. However, there is never any justification for inflicting a cruel and
painful death on any animal, regardless of species.
This fox was killed by being set on by a dog
and clearly this is a horrific way to die.”
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Sadistic-fox-killer-jailed.htm
North Wales Falklands veteran: 'Why can’t I get the gun licence'
Aug 19 2010 by Andrew Forgrave, Daily Post
Alan Bennett sets a trap for grey squirrels
A
FALKLANDS veteran has accused North Wales Police of jeopardising his pest control business by limiting the terms of his gun
licences.
Alan Bennett, a weapons expert who served 25 years with the Welsh Guards, claims to
need high-calibre rifles to stalk prey that range from deer to predators of rare birds.
But the
retired Welsh Guards Warrant Officer – a former shooting range safety officer – has seen successive applications
rejected.
His case is being followed by the British Association of Shooting and Conservation,
which is alarmed at the inconsistency in firearms licensing between police forces.
Mr Bennett, 53, of Moelfre, runs Clear All
Pest Control, a company that offers stalking services as well as run-of-the- mill vermin control.
“I
have several potential contracts from landowners and wildlife organisations in the pipeline,” he said.
“But to fulfil these I need a change in the terms of my firearms certificates allowing me to shoot all types
of quarry with higher-calibre weapons.”
The dad-of-four was injured during the Falklands
conflict when the Sir Galahad ship was set ablaze by Argentinian Skyhawk missiles.
Younger brother
Andrew was invalided during the Falklands War and was later killed in a freak electrocution while out shooting.
As a result the former weapons instructor says he fully understand the dangers posed by guns and the need for safety
at all times.
Mr Bennett, who owns several guns, .
He said he has
been asked by landowners to shoot problem foxes, fisheries to clear cormorants and wildlife groups to target pest gulls.
Requests to stalk feral goats, which are becoming a nuisance in part of North Wales, were also becoming more commonplace,
he said.
“I need to use a weapon which is appropriate to the situation,” he said.
His dispute with North Wales Police began in April and a spokesman for BASC said it would be seeking a meeting with
the firearms licensing manager if the matter wasn’t resolved.
Mr Bennett, a part-time gamekeeper
who is also involved in the Anglesey Red Squirrel project, is being guided by George Wallace, firearms advisor for the National
Gamekeepers Association.
He said gun licensing was often mired in “petty bureacracy”.
Both the Home Office and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) had issued recent guidance aimed at clarifying
firearms regulations, he said.
While appearing to endorse responsible country sports, the regulations
were still open to interpretation.
Mr Wallace, of Ruabon, Wrexham, has all-quarries conditions
on his own gun licences. But he said: “There are elements in various police forces who don’t believe everyone
should have such freedoms.”
Alun Davies, firearms licensing manager for North Wales Police,
has exhaustively reviewed Mr Bennett’s case. His primary duty, he said was to “ensure public safety”.
Mr Bennett’s application to shoot vermin with his .223 rifle was rejected as, under Home Office guidelines,
the rifle is not considered suitable for this role, said Mr Davies.
He assessed that Mr Bennett
already has sufficient permissions to carry different weapons for different purposes: .223 or .243 rifles for fox control
or goat culling, and .22LR and .22 magnum rifles for control vermin.
Mr Bennett said this made
sense – but only if he could get close enough to his quarry.
“Often that isn’t
possible with lower calibre guns,” he said. “For example, if I’m stalking vermin at a bird colony, you can’t
get too close without disturbing the entire colony.”
Mr Davies said he couldn’t give
carte blanche for high-powered guns. He said: “While this is a condition that can be granted, I understand this was
aimed at deerstalkers and gamekeepers on large estates who would be out carrying one gun at any time.
“If
we granted these conditions it would mean that we were giving Mr Bennett permission to shoot anywhere, with any gun, for any
quarry.”
Waac says - What a way to make a living - killing defenceless animal
and birds. I can't help feeling gun fanatic Mr Bennett's excuse was just so he could own very high
powered weapons. A rifle, we should remind ourselves that can carry a range of almost three miles, with
the very real possibility of killing not just the poor intended animal target but any unfortunate member of the
public who just happens to get in the way of the bullets destructive path.
The fact he organises
stalking outings is very worrying when we know that such prey are quite often wild goats. Goats are few and not many as Bennett
enthused, plus they live mostly in the mountainous regions of Snowdonia. This area of outstanding beauty is frequented
by many visitors in Winter as well as Summer, so the use of weapons like these is to say the least dangerous. Plus there
is no evidence that goats are over populating which makes Bennett's claims dubious even obscene.
Foxes
are a minor nuisance (proved) and certainly does not warrant the attention of gun enthusiasts. Does Mr Bennett miss
his days in the army killing the 'enemy'? His love of guns and killing defenceless life would suggest
this may be true?.
The fact that Mr Bennett's brother was electrocuted (killed) while out shooting would
suggest that karma has a way of dealing with people that enjoy taking life. They all have to face their actions
one day - if not now, then at some point in the future.
To quote my friend and brother in the cause,
Joey Summer, "These people are searching for an evil that awaits them with open arms".
Now here's my letter to the farming editor Andrew Forgrave.
Andrew,
I find it very worrying that BASC are in favour of people using
weapons of such high velocity. The fact that Bennett wants an all-quarry licence for two high-powered weapons - one of which
is a .223 centrefire rifle. There is no such thing as .223 rimfire - only.22 rimfire (a completely different and
much smaller cartridge).
The.223 centre fire rifle round is better known as 5.56mm which
is the current ammunition used by the majority of police and armed services throughout the world and has a
killing range of up to three miles. The small light-weight bullet projected from this cartridge is extreme high velocity
and the bullet head is usually of soft point or hollow point variety.
In common
terms this means that upon impact the devastation and trauma caused is immense. It gives the classic small entry wound
and huge exit.
The.243 rifle cartridge (there is no 'magnum' variety) is a classic
round utilised for killing smaller varieties of deer or goats - and again carries a lethal range probably exceeding
the .223. The bullet head is only slightly larger/heavier and energises similar massive destruction. To put this
in context, it is not uncommon for someone being hit in the arm or shoulder by such a round, to actually be killed - as the
energy from soft or hollow point bullets will extend like a shock wave throughout the body to stop a heart. Small bullets
from these high velocity weapons also have a tendency to 'yaw' - which means they can deflect and fragment within
the body causing massive internal organ and tissue damage.
It is interesting to note that
the .223/ 5.56mm was utilised by American forces in the Vietnam conflict when they introduced the M16 rifle
in the early 1960's. It was initially found that the projectile had a tendency to be unstable and easily
deflected or disintegrate on impact with items such as leaves and branches. This caused problems initially
in jungle warfare - as troops were [previously] used to the reliability of much heavier .30 calibre ammunition - which would
pass through undergrowth - and still reach the target.
We live in a very over populated
country with only small pockets of wilderness which makes the use of such weapons grossly irresponsible. There
was a case in the United States, where someone firing a high velocity rifle near a river, ricochet the bullet and it killed
a motorist on a freeway almost two miles away. God forbid that the same thing could happen here on our tiny island country.
I believe North Wales Police made the right decision by refusing Mr Bennett a licence for the use of these destructive
weapons.
Kind Regards,
Judi
Attention-seeking hounds aim to improve public perception at Llanrwst Rural
Show
Aug 17 2010 by Andrew Forgrave, Daily Post
A PACK of attention-seeking hounds will attempt to improve their public perception when they take centre
stage at this weekend’s Llanrwst Rural Show.
Conwy Valley Hounds was established more than 20 years
ago by Jason Jones, known locally as “Jason Logs”.
He expects them to be a great hit
with youngsters, who can wander into the showground ring to meet the inquisitive canines.
Jason
said: “People tend to think that hunting hounds are vicious animals, but in reality they are very placid creatures,
full of character.
“They enjoy human
contact and attention.Š
“In all honesty they are more likely to lick you to death
than anything else!”
There will be 25 hounds at the show on Saturday, August 21 –
a mix of the pure Welsh hound, Fell hounds originating from the Lake District and a few English hounds.
Pure Welsh hounds, the oldest breed, are rough coated, while the Fell are a lighter-boned dog with smooth hair. English
hounds are the largest of the three breeds.
Jason breeds a couple of litters a year, and when
they are a few weeks old, they are re-homed with “puppy walkers” for 12 months.
“They
are sent off to farmers and other dog lovers in the area to be taught basic manners,” said Jason.
“After 12 months, when they are used to human contact, they are returned to us.”
He
added: “I thoroughly enjoy showing the hounds, and am always delighted at the reaction they get from the crowd, especially
the children as they run into the ring to meet the dogs.”
In recent years Llanrwst Rural
Show has been unlucky with the weather, but organisers say stock numbers are up this year and they are confident of a great
show irrespective of the elements.
Other attractions include a craft fair with locally produced
food, a tug of war competition (2pm) and a hand shearing competition (3.30pm).
Log cutting demonstrations
run throughout the day.Š
Attendances at this season’s agricultural shows have held
up well despite mixed weather and show chairman Mary Jones suspects many people see them as a value-for-money rural escapes
from the prevailing economic gloom.
“Farming is also on the up,” she said.
“And people want to enjoy a good family day out.”
All agricultural shows,
irrespective of size, are reliant on volunteers, and Llanrwst Rural Show is no exception.
Mrs
Jones said: “The show’s success is testimony to the hard work of both town folk and country folk,” she said.
“From organising fur and feather entries to booking tents; from collecting hurdles to marking out the field;
from distributing schedules to updating the show’s website – everyone has an important role to play.
Š”And on the day itself, you wouldn’t believe the number of young people who join in to steward
and manage the different events on the showground!”
Entries for some classes are still open.
Details: www.sioe-llanrwst-show.com.
What on earth is going on when hunts are still
being allowed to breed dogs for hunting? It's obvious they are not being trained to hunt an artificial scent. But
what really annoys me is the way the press condone it by publishing sickly sweet stories designed to make people think
these hounds are just like your average pet dog? They're not! They're bred to savage foxes to death and any other
small animal they come across, be they small pet cats, dogs or rabbits.
Judi
Animal rights are no excuse for misogyny Morning
Star - Friday 13 August 2010 - by Laurie Penny
Advertising
that shows women as pieces of meat is sexist, even if it does save fluffy bunnies
Canada has
taken a stand for women's rights - by banning an advertising campaign by the vegetarian and animal welfare society Peta.
Under normal circumstances, there is enough space in left-wing activism for promoting both women's
liberation and animal welfare, but Peta has been bucking the trend for many years with high-profile billboards and commercials
that sexually objectify and dehumanise women to "make a point" about animal welfare.
This
particular ad shows former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson scantily clad and covered in markings delineating breast, thigh and
leg meat, with the slogan "all animals have the same parts."
Other Peta campaigns that
have escaped the censors have shown bloodied female corpses shrink-wrapped in polythene, women being sexually tortured (to
"raise awareness" about the treatment of poultry) and porn stars gyrating around giant spears of asparagus to promote
vegetarianism.
Peta's approach is uncomplicatedly ugly and vicious - equating women with
animals, portraying women as, variously, pieces of meat or brood-mares, offering nubile, willing porn stars as "rewards"
for vegetarianism, and implying in no uncertain terms that the dignity of female human beings is less important than the autonomy
of little bunny rabbits.
Then there's the gross, boringly porny imagery, the constant rehashing
of rape and murder fantasies, the incitements to violence against women.
But what's astonishing
is that this glamorous, high-profile, hugely expensive campaign just doesn't work.
These
images are supposed to shock - but in this day and age, seeing images of naked or half-naked women compared with pieces of
meat, beaten and abused served up as tasty morsels, or tied up and having thick dribbling tubes shoved into their mouths is
not shocking at all. It's commonplace. It's part of the language of contemporary pornography, part of the way we understand
our entire sexuality, a secret and not-so-secret code underwriting all gender relations in this culture.
If these adverts really were designed to shock, it'd be naked men in those images, men shrink-wrapped and fetishised
as murder victims, men explicitly phrased as no better than animals, without higher reasoning, worthwhile only for the way
they look or for how warm and fluffy they make us feel.
Seeing Pamela Anderson's bottom is
not shocking. Given that the campaign continues to run, there must be something else going on here.
Could
it possibly be that Peta is explicitly trading on women's sexual autonomy to "sell" animal rights? Could it
be that Peta just doesn't give a damn if women get raped, beaten, abused, used, if young girls grow up without self-respect,
if young women develop eating disorders, mental health problems and low self-esteem?
Could it
be that this animal rights group doesn't care at all about one half of the whole mess of human animals? If that's
so, given that Peta actually kills 90 per cent of the cats, dogs and other pets left in its care, I wouldn't take a desk
job in its office.
In case it wasn't clear already, I personally believe that women - and
men, children and intersex people for that matter - are more important than animals.
I'd
kick 100 kittens in the face to save one cancer victim. I'd shave a litter of puppies to help one junkie. I would even
inconvenience an asthmatic gerbil to save George Osborne.
I find it stunningly hypocritical when
people like Peta, who claim to have such massively bleeding hearts that they have to carry a little cup to catch the overflow,
behave with basic disrespect towards their fellow humans. It's not a new thing, of course.
We've
always found it easier to be humane to creatures that can't talk back, creatures that don't pose any real social threat
to us, creatures that aren't likely to call us out on our failings or break our hearts. Maybe that's why Britain had
a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals (RSPCA, founded 1824) a full 60 years before we deigned to intervene to
even try to stop people torturing, abusing or murdering their own children (NSPCC, founded 1884).
Canada
is right to take a stand against Peta's advertising campaign. By spreading misogynist propaganda, Peta is demonstrating
that it care more about animals than about women. The approach is demeaning and degrading and shows no compassion whatsoever
for human beings - especially those who don't conform to narrow definitions of female beauty.
To complain - send comments to lettersed@peoples-press.com
Waac says - very disappointed
by this article 'Animal rights are no excuse for misogyny'. I don't see how women are being exploited by
PETA. Wonder what this silly woman would have said if it had been men wrapped in cellophane to show that we
are no different to animals. After all meat is meat whether it comes from man, woman or animal. I'm female, yet I have no qualms about seeing naked female
parts being used to advertise cruelty to animals.
Plus where does this reporter get off saying that animal rights care more about animals than children? How dare
she! We care deeply about children and agonise when some are hurt by evil people. And by the way, I'd kick this
reporter in the face to save a hundred defenceless kittens. And what are people Ms Penny, if not animals?
I could have understood a little of her argument if children had been wrapped in the stuff - but then it would have closer
to the truth, since animals killed for food are still babies.
Obviously this idiotic reporter has a problem with people
defending animals. What a cold hearted self centred creature she must be!
Judi
The link below will lead to the HSA website and then you can go on to video
of the Cattistock cub hunting only four days ago, on August 10th, 2010.
http://www.hsa.enviroweb.org/Catching defenceless cubs is just about as sick as it's possible to get. These
animals are easy to catch because they have not learn't to fear yet - hence the reason so many cubs die in the first year
of life. Sadistic beyond belief! Mindless sub-humans who take their enjoyment from torturing innocent animals
for fun. Truly SICK!.
Man threw fox to Staffordshire Bull Terrier so dog could savage it to death
A man trapped a fox in his garden before throwing
it into a pen so that his Staffordshire Bull Terrier could tear it apart.
Published: 1:06PM BST 09 Aug 2010
William Burrell, 50, caught the animal on October 8 2009 after it had been stalking his pet pigeons for several weeks.
He placed a noose around the fox's neck then slung it into a pen with
his pet dog and watched as the fox was savaged to death.
Burrell, of Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire,
was found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to a fox at Burton Magistrates Court.
The
court heard how Burrell trapped the creature in a large cage in his garden at around 4.30am.
Later that morning at around 11.30am he tied a rope around the animal's neck and slung it into a large kennel with
his dog.
Burrell stood nearby as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier ripped into the
fox ''like a rag doll'' for 15 minutes.
Burrell finally killed the
animal by bludgeoning it over the head with a piece of wood.
His neighbour April
Hood, who called the RSPCA at 7.30 am, told the court that she heard the fox ''screaming and squealing''.
She said: ''I was woken up at 4.30am by the sound of the cage. I monitored the situation
until 11.30am.
''I heard two different noises - one sounded like a dog snarling
and another noise like a squealing or screaming noise. This went on for around 15 minutes.
''I later saw Mr Burrell pick up a fence panel and make a hitting action with his arm.''
Burrell claimed that he killed the fox with three blows from the wood before he threw it to the dog.
In police statements read to the court Burrell said: ''I wanted to get rid of the fox as it had been plaguing
me and my pigeons for three weeks.
''I caught it and killed it by hitting
it over the head. Its eyes had glazed over. Putting its dead body in the dog run was a big mistake.''
But vet David Martin proved that the creature had been bitten by the dog while it was alive.
He said: ''There was a considerable number of injuries caused by dog bites. These areas were surrounded by extensive
haemorrhaging - which could not have been caused if the fox had been dead.
''The
cause of death was a blow to the head and the dog bites preceded the blow to the head.''
The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports until Friday August 27.
RSPCA Inspector
Penny Baker said: ''I'm extremely pleased with the outcome. This is the worst case of animal cruelty I have ever
seen in my career.
''This case will send out a clear and strong message that
this behaviour will not be tolerated.''
Frederick Powell, defending, said:
''The RSPCA knew this fox had been caged at 7.30am, however they chose not to respond until 2pm.
''We've heard evidence from Mr Martin to suggest he is absolutely certain the fox was alive when it was bitten
by the dog. Science is good but it is not always correct.''
WHAT MINISTER PAICE DID NOT TELL THE FARMERS AT COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE GAME FAIR
Monday
26th July To: Directors, Press, MPs, Lords, Welsh
AMs, Affiliated Badger Groups, Additional Contacts, Non Affiliated Groups, Supporters with email Subject: What the Minister failed to tell the farmers For Immediate Release The Agriculture Minister thinks “there is not a country in the world that's got rid of TB without
addressing the problem in wildlife". But there is. It was the UK, says the Badger Trust. Mr James Paice was speaking at the Game Fair
last week and seemed not to know that bovine tuberculosis (bTB) was reduced from 16,000 cases in 1961 to 628 by 1979 in an
eradication scheme that did not include “addressing” – i.e. killing – wildlife [1]. The Coalition
Government’s manifesto envisages a “science-led cull”, while Mr Paice told the farmers he had a “clear
belief” a cull would help. David Williams, chairman of the Trust, said: “There was no science behind Mr Paice’s
‘belief’. I am amazed that a politician in his position does not know how this textbook scheme worked. Gassing
and other measures from 1975 did not reduce bTB from around 100 breakdowns a year up to 1985, nor prevent the increase since
then. Almost ten years of rigorous study have shown that it would take comprehensive killing operations over many years in
areas as big as Birmingham or Glasgow to achieve only short-term benefits, if any." The relevant sentence in an authoritative document published
last week in a peer reviewed scientific journal is: “Exploratory analyses stratified by six-month periods are consistent with an ongoing, but diminishing
(test for temporal trend p=0.037), benefit of proactive culling continuing through the latest six-month period analysed (43
to 48 months post-trial) [2]. Mr Williams said: “No other industry could get away with killing huge numbers of wildlife for
such transient benefits when so many other proven techniques are again yielding results, as now seems to be the case. We simply
do not understand
why the farming industry has been so obsessed with killing wildlife”. There were many omissions in Mr Paice’s remarks as reported by the show’s
website. It did not refer to the encouraging bovine tuberculosis figures for the first quarter of this year (published this
month). They show a ten percent fall in new herd incidents [3] and a drop of 24.3 percent in the number of cattle slaughtered
[4]. More significantly, the Trust recently highlighted the six percent fall in herds confirmed as infected between the whole
of 2008 and 2009, without any wildlife being “addressed”. The Minister could also have said that in Wales, where an intensive eradication programme
(excluding badger culling) is in progress, the ratio of herds infected last year was one in 141, a vast improvement over 2008
when it was one in 104. The overall reduction in new herds confirmed was from 541 to 513, or five percent. Still no badgers
killed. Another omission was not
to have told his listeners that in Dyfed, just over the border from where he was speaking in Powys, 13 percent fewer
cattle were slaughtered in 2009 than in the previous year - and still no badgers killed. Dyfed is part of the area for a cull
recently stopped by the Court of Appeal. Yet another omission concerning the fall in bTB was a reference to the slaughter of 25,000
cattle in England last year [5] because of bTB. He failed to say that the comparative figure for 2008 was 27,455. The drop
was seven percent – and no badgers killed. He should also have mentioned that Scotland, thanks to rigorous cattle regulations,
has now been given bTB-free status by the EU. And finally he could have acknowledged that Northern Ireland has ruled out badger
culling, although details of its proposed “prevalence study” are awaited. Mr Williams added: ”Mr Paice said it
was his ‘clear belief’ that a cull was needed. ‘Belief’, whether clear or not, is simply not good
enough in the face of £50 million-worth of rigorously tested science. For 40 years farmers have suffered from their
industry’s obsession with badgers and its stubborn resistance to proven cattle measures. Now, Mr Paice proposes to land
them with the bill for the ‘cull’ he wants”. Ends NOTES [1] The main thrust of the Area Eradication Scheme
of the postwar years was annual testing and rigorous controls on the movement of cattle. Relaxation of both these measures
was followed by a massive surge in bTB from the mid-1980s. The rise was made worse by suspension of testing during the BSE
and foot and mouth epidemics during the last decade, and restocking with untested cattle. Eradication of Bovine Tuberculosis
in Great Britain. By W D Macrae, MRCVS, DVM. Zoological Society of London from Symp, Zool. Soc., Lond. No. 4, pp. 81-90 (April,
1961).[2]
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0009090 (comment 4). July 22. The trial was the Randomised Badger Culling Trial of 1998-2007.[3] Between Jan 1 and Mar 31: 1,378 against 1,543 in the same period last year.[4] Between Jan 1 to Mar
31: 9,687 as reactors to the skin test, as inconclusives and direct contacts and reported by slaughterhouses against
12,807 in the same period last year.[5] The exact figure was 25,557 Contact:Jack Reedy01564 7831290775 173 1107 Badger Trust is the only charity solely dedicated to the conservation of badgers across Great Britain.PO Box 708, EAST GRINSTEAD, RH19 2WNTel: 08458 287878 Fax: 02380 233896E-mail press@badgertrust.org.ukwww.badgertrust.org.ukRegistered charity no.1111440Company registered in the UK No.5460677
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/06/urban-fox-hunt-chris-atkins
Badger cull looks likely in England, says Paice
Jul 25 2010 by James McCarthy, Wales On Sunday
A BADGER cull
in England is set to go ahead despite judges ordering one in Wales be halted.
Animal
rights campaigners have now threatened to launch a challenge to force an end to the plan – which has been welcomed by
the farming industry as the only way to stop the spread of tuberculosis among cattle.
Farming
Minister Jim Paice announced a consultation would be undertaken this autumn, but said it would almost certainly recommend
a cull.
The Tory MP claimed that the costs of trapping and killing badgers would be covered by
the farming industry.
He said: “I don’t want to cull badgers, so believe me, if there
was a better way to do it we would do it.
“But the reality is that there is no country in
the world that has got rid of TB without addressing the problem where it is in wildlife.”
The
Welsh Assembly was ordered to halt its cull this month because its plans were not specific enough.
But
Mr Paice intends his to be legally watertight.
The intention is that the cull will be
able to start in England next summer.
National Farmers Union president Peter Kendall
insisted TB was “destroying the British dairy industry”.
The Badger Trust, which brought
the case against the Welsh Assembly, said that it was “obliged to do all it can to ensure the welfare of the species
by a variety of means”.
|
| The beast of Bampton Grange near Shap, leaves court. |
Cumbrian hunt follower fined over attack on fox
By Thom Kennedy
Last updated at 11:43, Thursday, 22 July
2010
A hunt follower released two terriers into a foxhole
with the intention of hunting illegally, a court has ruled.
In a rare successful hunt prosecution
in Cumbria, Alistair James Robinson, 48, of Bampton Grange, near Penrith, was found guilty after a trial of hunting a wild
mammal in contravention of the 2004 Hunting Act.
District Judge Gerald Chalk, sitting at Eden
Magistrates’ Court in Penrith, heard that Robinson had been following the Ullswater Hunt on October 26 last year when
his terrier darted underground.
He was seen on a video captured by hunt monitors from the League
Against Cruel Sports digging at a point in the ground, then pulling a fox from the ground and hitting it in the head eight
times, killing it, and hiding its carcass in a dry stone wall.
Killing a fox with a stick in the
way that Robinson did is legal, and was not contested in court. What a sick bloody world, when beating
an animal to death is legal!!!!
However, the case hinged on the issue of intent –
whether Robinson had sent the dog down into the hole with the intention of attacking the fox.
One
dog was seen entering the hole, after which Robinson sent another down wearing a chipped collar to help him find it underground
with a detector.
He claimed he sent the second down with the locator device after the first slipped
its lead and chased the fox underground of its own accord.
However, Robinson claimed he had been
concerned about the location of his dog, and that the rest of the hunt did not know about the fox’s death. But he was
seen talking on a CB radio and casually smoking a cigarette while his dogs attacked the female animal in the underground tunnels
beneath his feet.
Judge Chalk rejected the possibility that the dog went into the hole by a coincidence,
and found Robinson guilty.
He said: “It appears to me that he has gone with terriers with
the purpose of hunting wild mammals.
“I don’t think it’s credible that at the
same moment that a fox has gone to ground, that be coincidence his dogs have gone under the ground.”
League Against Cruel Sports president Douglas Batchelor said: “This was a vicious attack on a wild animal which
would have gone unnoticed had it not been for our evidence.
“Today's guilty verdict
is yet another example of how vital the league's work is in assisting the police with ensuring the Hunting Act is effectively
enforced.”
Robinson was fined £250, with £900 court costs, and a £15 victim
surcharge.
Justice was not served here - it never is when it comes to animals
or those of us fighting to stop their suffering. This evil scum basically got away with causing this poor girl extreme
suffering! This horrific man should have been sent to prison and everything he owns taken off him. This is
the only way to stop beasts like Robinson from ever daring to take part in such sick and cruel sports
again. Robinson and his ilk are the type that could commit atrocities towards defenceless children in the
event of war. This world would be a far better place for us all if evil like this criminal were to become
extinct. I hope we all hear about it when this slime has been paid back by karma. The killing of this little
vixen was a callous and cowardly crime. I hope Robinson rots in hell!.
God bless you little fox
and all that get butchered by the beast, for you will find the heaven that would have been meant for Robinson
and all those connected to cruel hunts, but which they forfeit when they killed you.
Judi
Government to consult on English badger cull
23
July 2010 | By Alistair Driver
THE coalition Government is to launch a public consultation on its plans to cull badgers in England this autumn.
Farming Minister Jim Paice made the announcement during a
panel discussion at the Countryside Alliance Game Fair in
Warwickshire today.
The Government has made a firm policy commitment
to implement a badger cull in TB hotspot areas as part of a wider package of measures.
With the consultation
likely to close towards the end of this year, the earliest a cull in England could realistically start is May
2011, following the badger breeding ‘closed season’ .
Mr
Paice had been working with the farming industry to develop the practical side of the policy while in Opposition.
But he acknowledged there are still number of issues to be resolved, such as how the culling is done
and where it should take place. He is keen for there to be a public discussion on these issues,
although he stressed the Government remains committed to going ahead with a badger cull to combat btb)
He also stressed the need to ensure
plans for a cull are legally watertight, the importance of which has been highlighted by the Welsh Assembly Government’s recent legal defeat that has halted plans for a cull in Wales this year.
If the cull in England goes ahead, it is likely that farmers, or groups of farmers covering a designated
area, will be required to apply for licences, under existing Badger Protection legislation. Farmers would pay contractors
to carry out the work on their land.
The consultation will also discuss how additional
cattle controls and vaccination could be also deployed as means of tackling bTB.
A
Defra spokesman said: “The Government has committed, as part of a package of measures,
to develop affordable options for a carefully-managed and science-led policy of badger control
in areas with high and persistent levels of bovine TB.
“We
are currently developing proposals which we plan to publish for public consultation in the autumn.”
NFUpresident Peter Kendall, who was also on the panel, welcomed Mr Paice’s
‘strong commitment’ to implementing a badger cull in England. He said the Welsh legal setback could end up working
in Defra and the industry’s favour.
“The Welsh decision
gives us an opportunity to make sure the ‘i’s are dotted and ‘t’s are crossed when it comes to ensuring
the policy is legally sound,” he said
Just as we thought, this vile fascist Government
are going for a cull no matter what! We must take our message to the people and fight harder than we ever did before
to get rid of these unelected bullies!
Judi
The farming lobby are calling on Cameron to repeal statutory protection
for badgers.
Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water
- the farming sharks are out on the attack again!. They just cannot accept that it clearly is their own filthy farming
practices that are at the root of this terrible disease. Plus has nobody told them that because of stricter cattle controls,
bTB is beginning to go down here in Wales.
Judi
Appeal court judgment will make badger culls more difficult
I acted on behalf
of the Badger Trust in its appeal against the proposed badger cull in Wales. In fact, the implications of the judgment go much further than your report suggests (Appeal court quashes badger cull, 14 July). The court ruled that not only had the order permitting the cull been drawn too widely, but that
the Welsh ministers had also acted unlawfully in misinterpreting section 21 of the Animal Health Act 1981 as giving them power to cull if they could achieve a reduction in TB which was "merely more than trivial
or insignificant". They also unlawfully failed to carry out a balancing exercise to weigh up the harm involved (ie killing
over 2,000 badgers) against the potential benefit – which the minister's own model predicted to be a reduction in
the rate of cattle herd breakdowns of just 0.3% of farms annually.
This
means that a minister contemplating any future cull will have to overcome a series of hurdles thrown up by the judgment. These
include having to have robust scientific evidence to prove that a cull would substantially reduce disease in livestock and
then conscientiously balance this against the potential harm to wildlife. The Badger Trust hopes that Defra will now be led by the science, which all points towards a combined approach of vaccination and cattle controls
as the most effective and economic solution.
Gwendolen Morgan
Solicitor, Bindmans
• Controversy over the planned badger cull in north
Pembrokeshire has been widely reported in terms of farmers versus wildlife lovers. The reality is more complex. There are
relatively few large farmers and many small farmers, smallholders and other landowners in this beautiful Welsh countryside
of small fields, hedgerows and nature reserves. Many farmers I know are opposed to culling the badgers, because they know
it does not work – the eight-year randomised badger cull trial in England concluded in 2007 that "badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control
in Britain".
The mystery is why the Welsh assembly government decided to promote a failed
policy. One thing we do know is that it did not consider the effects on tourism and the local economy of trapping and culling
badgers for at least five years. The good news is that an alternative method has become available – an injectable vaccine.
In the same area designated for the pilot cull, the minister could now use the same logistics over the same period to trap
and inject the badgers, so producing a healthy badger population. This progressive action could solve a real problem and unite
the community in the process.
Ian Doucet
St Dogmaels,
Pembrokeshire
Tread lightly upon the Earth and stamp down hard upon the animal abuser.
Ronnie Lee
P Save
a tree...please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to
WHEN, as a thrusting
young farmer, Maurice Jones embarked on an expansion programme that would see the family holding grow eight-fold, his father
Mike would shake his head sadly and lament such youthful folly.Read
Can life get any worse for cows - the most abused animals
on earth? Now Welsh farmer Maurice Jones has jumped on the Lincolnshire band wagon and wants to create
an animal Belson, making life even more intolerable for poor cows. What this so called Super Dairy will be, is a massive
battery unit (shed) to house over 1,000 cows and for what? Profit! Forcing cows to spend their entire lives
in cubicles, give birth, be milked, give birth, be milked, give birth, be milked!!!!And all the while enduring a life
devoid of all compassion, denied all that is natural to them. A place where cows are denied fresh air, the taste
of fresh grass, the chance to have a wander, feel the sun on their backs and grass beneath their feet. They will
endure being re-impregnated and after the birth will have their young removed (as many already do) with no
thought given to their mental state - and boy do cows grieve! I've heard it with my own ears and their
cries were deafening!.
God damn any farmer that condemns his animals to this kind of living nightmare. I
hope factory farmers reap what they sow and that they will one day endure the wrath they so clearly
deserve. These monsters of the earth are the devil incarnate!.
Judi
GAMEKEEPER Harold
Jones can speak from personal experience of how the countryside changed his life.Read
Of course Mr Jones left out the cruelty that is a big part of his job - so
called vermin control. Fluffy bunnies that are killed by working ferrets. But then they never tell the kids the
truth do they? It would be too horrible!.
Send comments to the Daily Post - letterswales@dailypost.co.uk
Thanks,
Judi
FOR LATEST NEWS ON THE VIXEN FOUND IN THE FOREST - PLEASE GO THE 'COMMENTS'
PAGE.
Sheepdog attack on small child.
Small boy in a car, dog leaps through door and gives child serious bites, dog put down
at vets, dog owned by farmer/grandfather of child, child in hospital for 6 days. Luckily, child ok and will make a full
recovery.
I wonder if this takes up the front page of all the newspapers for a fortnight?
With calls for sheepdogs to be culled? And the show One Man and his Dog to be renamed One Man and his Vermin?
Probably not!
Penny.
AT LAST, REASON PREVAILS TO PUT THE RECORD STRAIGHT IN DEFENCE OF
FOXES.
Spare a thought for fantastic Mr Fox.
A sixth fox is cruelly trapped and killed.
The number of fox killings
in Hackney is rising - will this lunacy ever end? It was bad enough when the first fox was killed, but to keep adding
INNOCENT foxes to the list is not just immoral, it's insane!
And for anyone who thinks these animals don't suffer,
think again! They are enticed with food and kept confined until the killer arrives and shoots them dead. To any wild animal
being incarcerated, even for short time, this is a nightmare!
And what of the so called good neighbour of the Koupparis
family, who heard noises coming from the cage, did these neighbours not hear the distressed cries of a helpless
fox, or were they just noises to them? God help us while we live in a such a cold and sinister world.
Pauline and
Nick Koupparis's lovely children are back home safe and well so why is this family not content with this,
and why are they still insisting on a witch-hunt?
And what about our rights, the rights of all who care about
animals. We suffer mental anguish every time we hear of yet another helpless victim being caught and having its
lights put out but the authorities don't care about us, do they?
Please, Mr and Mrs Koupparis, this is Britain, we
are supposed to be a nation of animals lovers, not abusers! Please put a stop to the killings! It does you no service
to keep allowing the killing of these intelligent animals. Don't allow yourselves to be seen
acting in a callous way. Show the world that you have a heart for Gods creatures, not just your own.
Judi
BOYCOTT ALL NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS FOR TWELVE MONTHS, IN PROTEST AT THEIR VINDICTIVE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST OUR BELOVED FOXES, AND THOSE OF US WHO LOVE THEM..
83% of UK Sun readers say NO to cull of urban
foxes.
Yet BBC Crime Stoppers are asking, wait for it, "Should urban foxes
be killed". In other words, shot on sight!
Obviously these stone cold reporters don't believe the first poll,
so they're conducting their own! Says it all really!!The poll currently says 41% say NO.
What
is next in this insanity? Police out chasing foxes because they are, er.... criminals!!
Judi
Gutter press at their most obscene!
It seems the media
have changed dramatically over the last two decades. There was a time when the press were the voice of ordinary
people but that has all changed now. These days they bow down to the upper echelons in society - the rich and the powerful.
They twist and manipulate stories to their advantage and the public have been sucked in. But they have seriously
underestimated the public mood with this never ending fox and babies story. The more these papers rant
on about the need to kill so called 'vicious' foxes, the more they leave themselves open to the actual truth.
And despite what arrogant, unfeeling, vicious media people think, the public are not as thick as they'd
like to believe. We know that the Tories 'evil' desire to overturn the hunt ban lay behind this 'petty'
story and their servants in the media are dancing to their tune.
Would this story have made the national papers
twenty years ago?, of course not! It would have warranted a half page in your local paper.
Already five foxes, including
two cubs have been murdered as a result of this media frenzy, and the public are becoming more and more outraged!
This story is about to explode in the media's smug, lying faces- not straight away, but it will, watch this space!
Judi
AN ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT LETTER FROM PENNY LITTLE, TO THE INDEPENDENT.
Dear
Sir
What a shame that the Independent has joined the mass hysteria over the alleged fox attack of the two babies
- I thought they were going to be the only newspaper to retain a sense of sanity and proportion.
Michael Bywater
(In the Dead of Night, Menacing us on our Doorstep, 12.6.10) throws in his two penn'orth with his risible tale of
meeting a fox in Wimbledon at 1 a.m., when, for some reason, he decided to take a walk, and, gosh, what did he see - a large
dog fox! Oooh-er! (foxes' average weight is 5.5kg, so Michael's might have been a scary 6 kg!) ).
The fox "glared" at him, and he describes it as "nasty, frightening and wrong". Ye gods. He
also says the fox smelled "rank", so that convinces me he is just using poetic licence, because foxes only smell
"rank" if they empty their anal glands in terror. Also Michael, the fox probably thought you smelled revolting
yourself.
Michael Bywater really should read Michael McCarthy's superb piece from Friday's Independent
(The Tragic loss of British Wildlife) to remind himself that in fact humans wreak hideous, monumental damage upon wildlife,
and I hope he feels ashamed for ramping up the absurd and totally unfair demonising of foxes which the media lynch mob is
currently engaged in.
The South African football team may have been wondering what the English team will be like.
If they have checked out the English papers over the last week, they will see that Britain is a nation that is frightened
of....foxes. As they have predators that actually can damage humans pretty comprehensively, they must find this
hilarious.
And so it would be, except for the fact that this vicious press coverage is resulting in foxes and fox
cubs being mindlessly persecuted even more than usual by their terrifying human enemies.
Yours faithfully
Penny Little
ScUM NEWSPAPER, SET UP BRIAN MAY.
They say journalists are the scum of
the earth and though I'm sure there are a few that might have some morals, sadly this does not apply to the Sun newspaper,
known in Liverpool, (for very good reasons) as the SCUM newspaper.
This bigoted paper invited Dr Brian May,
a very honest and gentle advocate for animals to make a few comments, which he did, as you can see for yourselves, if
you go on his Save Me website.
Unfortunately, they twisted his words (surprise, surprise) to make out that he
didn't care about the babies, only foxes. But this is so typical of this scum newspaper, which is why I don't
know why the public still buy it or indeed any national newspapers when their editors and journo's never
let the facts get in the way of a good story.
The moronic insiduous people that get to work for these rags don't
care about decency - they don't want to tell the truth! The truth does not sell papers!!!!
Hell, they don't
care how many animals suffer because of one very isolated 'minor' incident. They don't care that it
might not have been a fox that SCRATCHED THOSE BABIES (have you seen the latest pics, there will no scarring,
yet the Star said "scarred for life"?)
A dear supporter of WAAC, Ailsa, was snapped at and bitten
in the face by her elderly dog Sam the other day and she now has stitches inside and outside her mouth.
She didn't start to scream for this dog to be killed, she merely said, "Sam must have been ill, I shouldn't have
hugged him so tight, but he normally wouldn't mind." And guess what! The hospital never even bothered to inquire
about the dog, just stitched Ailsa's face, gave her a few jabs, and sent her packing, until it's time to have her
stitches removed.
And let's face it, just because Ailsa is getting on a bit, how many of the newspapers would care
about her anyway? TRY NONE! Well maybe, if it was a little fox that attacked her! But then again, a fox would never have 'ripped
open' her face.
Judi
|
| Judi with Basil get up close and personal |
Dear Ms Little,
Thank you for your email.
The photo you refer to taken by one of the first police officers on the scene, who witnessed the fox aggressively
clawing at the back door of the property. The photo was released by the Metropolitan Police's Directorate of Public Affairs to the media on 8/6/10.
A thorough investigation has been made into this matter and we will not be commenting
further.
Kind regards,
Hackney Police
A thorough investigation! Who are they trying to
kid? They have abused their powers by ignoring vital evidence. Did they test the family dog, no they didn't? Did they
get an expert in to examine the babies bite marks, no they didn't? They did a rotten, shoddy job, and I believe
the officer lied about the fox aggressively scratching away at the door. There is no way any fox would scratch
at a door, let alone aggressively, even if it was used to being fed by the occupier.
Hackney police, you are an
utter disgrace!!
Judi
VILE MEDIA FRENZY IS HURTING FOXES.
AS IF THEY DON'T ALREADY SUFFER ENOUGH CRUELTY!!
This disgusting vile media frenzy has gone on for a week now
regarding these babies and a fox, what now unfolds is that instead of a Met Policeman arriving on the scene of a suspected
crime he instead takes a picture of a fox cub looking in the window of the house and when all the hoo ha has just finally
died down , he has touted his picture to a Press Agency and that has started it up again.
What I want to know is WHAT FORENSICS were done, what questions were asked, what swabs and DNA testing was done on
carpet, blood on carpet? and animal hair, and questions asked about, what family pets there were.
For the fox cub to be looking in the window after such an event shows his familiarity with the house, did they feed
foxes before and encourage them inside?
I think we should ask for an inquiry
into the behaviour of this officer who has touted his photo;
hackneypolice@met.police.uk would be a good place to start asking questions, and also a letter to the MET Commissioner, New
Scotland Yard, Broadway, London. SW11 0BG. Diane Abbott is the Labour
MP for Hackney so maybe she can get some sense out of this, a letter asking her for calm and not to have hundreds of pest
officers brandishing guns in every bush in London, the Daily Telegraph and others will not let it die, as it is
covering over the CUMBRIA shooting which started to question Gun Law.
DISGUSTING TORY RAG AS USUAL SPOUTING OFF ABOUT NEED TO KILL FOXES.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1284505/Baby-twins-Isabella-Lola-Koupparis-seriously-injured-fox-attack.html#ixzz0qGHDxiTQ
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7809067/Fox-attack-cull-needed-say-experts.html
There have been stories like this in the press before, but they have always turned out to be
bogus. So why has the press gone into overdrive on this? Could it be that the hunt supporting press are using this to get
the public on side before the Tories try to repeal? Attacks by dogs that resort to fairly minor injuries have never had
this kind of national press reaction before, nor for that matter child deaths by a family dog.
The hospital
said that the babies facial injuries were consistent with a fox attack, but how do they know this? How do they know
that this was not an attack by a dog or even a cat?
The Greek family involved in this case stated that foxes
are vermin, and now their story has already had one fox trapped and killed.
It's awful that their babies
were hurt, but I think their whole story stinks to high heaven. So please leave messages on the Internet under any
stories you see vilifying foxes. These poor animals need our help now, more than ever.
Oh and please DO
NOT BUY the Telegraph, the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Express, the Sun or Independent. These vile newspapers are
making a meal out of this story, and their hunt supporting friends are loving it!!
Judi.
POSTERS REMOVED FROM FOREST WHERE I FOUND MURDERED VIXEN.
Whoever
killed our young fox may have been the ones that removed our reward posters. I had stuck them around
the Clogaenog Forest area about a week ago. There was no reason why anyone other the killer or killers would bother to remove
them unless they were involved in the killing.
This comes as a double blow after finding out that the police will not
be taking this incident any further, unless someone comes forward to claim the £1,000 reward.
But you can
sure of one thing - I will never stop trying to get justice for this poor fox (named Bracken). I will continue to visit this
forest on a regular basis if only to keep an eye on the place and hopefully prevent other foxes suffering the same terrible
fate. The people who cruelly took this young vixens life are pure evil, and I'm sure they will one day have to pay
for their vile crime. Nobody gets away with cruelty - all have to pay in the end - it's called karma.
Rest
in peace Bracken.
FOLLOWING
THE RECENT TRAGIC MASSACRE, THE ISSUE OF GUN OWNERSHIP HAS BEEN RAISED AGAIN.
Please
click on the following link and vote YES to more stringent regulations!
60% say 'NO'
so far !!!
For the latest news on the badger cull in Wales, go to badger cull news on this site.
TWO WEEKS
BEFORE DECISION ON 'SO CALLED' FREE VOTE.
It seems during this economic crisis -
our new Tory/Lib Dem government are more interested in bringing back fox hunting, stag hunting and hare coursing than
they are in putting this country back on its feet.
Any Tory who thinks this
won't happen are living in cloud cuckoo land. In fact if I had a pound for every Tory voter I met during my anti-hunt pre-election leafleting
campaign and who confidently said that the Tories would never bother to bring back fox hunting,
then I'd have a fortune by now.
Rumours have been circulating around
the corridors of West Minster that a vote to decide on whether to hold a free vote on hunting with dogs will happen in
less than two weeks.
If you've never seen a hunt in progress and
felt the fear of the hunted animal as I have then you have been spared. But my fears are causing me great distress and
having just found the remains of young fox with orange nylon rope tied in tight knot around her hindleg and who
had been tied down before being baited, I can't tell how frightened I am for many other animals that will face this same
fate if hunting is brought back.
There is a very dark side to hunting that
most people never get to hear about - it's not just the cruelty of chasing a frightened animal to exhaustion, it's also
the sheer cruelty of digging out any victims that go to ground. All too often these same animals are placed in a sack
and chased again (to make for a longer chase) until they're caught and ripped apart. Any so called watered down
version of the hunting act by the Tory/Lib Dem alliance will mean hunting as usual.
Lib Dem leader Nic Clegg stated before the election that he was against repealing the hunting act. Since coveting
his prized seat, he has sold out the animals for thirteen pieces of silver. If the Lib Dems ever stood a chance
of getting more seats at the next election, he just blew it for them..
Any
Lib Dem MP's opposed to repeal will have their party whips removed if they do not tow the party line. So I
ask, how can this be democracy?
All you Tory and Lib Dem voters have
succeeded in doing, is put our poor foxes and other unfortunate animals in peril. I hope you can sleep at night,
because I sure as hell, cannot! But I do believe that karma has a way of getting back at those who put
selfishness before the suffering of others.
So it looks like the country
really will be going back to the dogs, in more ways than one - you had better hope that I'm
wrong!.
Judi Hewitt
ARE THE FORESTRY COMMISSION BIASED IN FAVOUR OF HUNTERS?
A few days ago I made a request to speak with the local area manager for the Clogaenog Forest after
I found the remains of mutilated fox there. I was given the name and number of their forest supervisor ***** *****.
I wanted to speak to him about the fox I found tied up and mutilated. When I mentioned my fears that it could
be a forester who was also involved in this cruelty, he became very angry. I was merely suggesting that it 'might'
be a forester in league with a hunter/farmer who did this terrible thing to this small animal. But not only was Mr ***** unhelpful,
I found him very aggressive. He did say that it was only legal to use two hounds, but said that it was not unlawful
for dogs to actually bite/savage a fox. The hunt ban was drawn up to stop foxes being savaged to death by dogs - someone in
the forestry should tell him!
He also said that he knew the people that hunted around the
Clogaenog area and went on to say that they wouldn't have done this to a fox.
He even claimed to having been
a hunter himself and said foxes needed to be controlled - which of course to any intelligent person, isn't true!
The truth is there are a small number of people that enjoy hunting foxes to death. Science led experiments
by the former government have proved that foxes are an insignificant pest! Stray farm and village dogs account
for more lamb deaths every year than any fox. A fox is a timid creature with little chance against a protective ewe.
But if ***** ***** is typical of the kind of people being paid wages out of the public purse, then I despair!
I hope that the relevant people within the Forestry Commission will take our concerns on board and look into their
employees bad public relations manner. He certainly seemed to favour hunters over the general public. Yet it's
we the public who are paying his wages and it's we the public who love to walk around our forests
- after all, it is we who have to pay for them.
Just a final word, ***** ***** let slip that hunts have
been known tie up the leg of a fox to get it away from the hounds/dogs. So let me get this straight - foxes
are still being caught in and around the Clogaenog forest and savaged by dogs! Correct me if I'm wrong,
but isn't that illegal??
MY OPEN LETTER TO THE FORESTRY COMMISSION
- FOR THE CLOGAENOG FOREST AREA.
Dear Sir,
I was disappointed by Mr ***** remarks regarding the fox I found cruelly killed in the Clogaenog
forest and shocked to hear that he used to hunt foxes himself.
The fact
is the forest is funded from public taxes and so I would expect the forestry to be unbiased and also be more vigilant
as to which hunt gangs they allow to hunt foxes in these area's of outstanding beauty.
I believe that whoever tortured this young fox to death were fairly local to the area and
most likely members of a hunt gang that have permission to hunt there. Let's be honest hunting with just two
hounds would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, useless! So it begs the question, how do they catch their fox victims?
Mr ***** became very angry by my suggestion that it could be a forester (in
league with a hunter/farmer) who might have been involved in this wildlife crime. Instead of saying he would make
some enquiries of his own, which is what I expected him to say, he said I was making a very serious accusation and
so would be taking my comments to the highest level. I told Mr ***** that I hoped he would, then I might get even more
media coverage out of the story and so finally get somewhere with regard to finding out who was
resonsible for this horrific cruelty. There is already a £1,000 reward for information leading to a prosecution.
This sad story has already been read by thousands of people in the UK and indeed across the world via the internet.
This fox must have been cage trapped, snared or dug out before having her hindleg tied
up and then set on by dogs. For Mr ***** to say that hunts usually only tie a rope around the leg of a fox
to get it away from the dogs, worried me! What exactly did he mean by this? Mr ***** seemed to think that it's
not illegal for dogs to savage foxes. But it is very much illegal for anyone to set dogs on to a fox.
It is only legal to allow two dogs to flush out a fox, which like I said before is useless in a forest area.
I will of course be urging others to walk this area, if only to keep an eye on
what's going on here!
Whoever did this cruel and sick deed need to be caught if only to give the public some confidence
back. This kind of deliberate evil stains the forest and it stains the forestry. If
I made one threat to Mr ***** it was that I would act like a terrier and not let go of this issue until these evil people
are caught, named and shamed.
Sincerely,
Judi
TO THOSE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE CRUEL DEATH OF THIS FOX, MAY KARMA SEEK YOU ALL OUT!
Dead
fox in Clocaenog Forest had rope tied round leg |
 The RSPCA believes it was "no accident" the fox was in a remote spot |
The RSPCA is investigating the discovery of a dead fox cub with rope tied
round its back leg in Denbighshire. The animal was found in a remote area of Clocaenog Forest, near Ruthin.
It had suffered a broken leg, and two loops in the rope indicated the fox may have been tied down. A £1,000
reward, backed by Queen guitarist Brian May, has been offered to for information leading to the conviction of those responsible.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the RSPCA's national cruelty and advice line on 0300 1234999.
RSPCA inspector Fred Armstrong said: "This was a really distressing discovery and the circumstances in which this
poor animal was found do make me suspicious of foul play and cruelty. "I do not think it is likely the rope became
tangled around the fox's leg by accident. "It is far more likely that a human being tied the rope round the
animals leg and therefore I am concerned that a possible offence has been committed. "I also think that the fact
this fox was found in such a remote location is again no accident and that the people responsible for the animals suffering
thought it would never be found." The fox was found by Judi Hewitt, of campaign group Wales Against Animal Cruelty.
With the help of Brian May - who formed the Save Me group to promote decent treatment of animals - she is offering
a £1,000 reward. Writing on his website, Mr May said: "Today, Judi decided to make a stand by offering a
reward for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrators of this crime. "I have decided to contribute
to this reward money. "Anybody out there want to help?"
|
|
| Area where she was found |
|
|
| We found her here, lying where she was dumped. |
NO MEDIA COVERAGE FROM THE NORTH WALES WEEKLY NEWS.
SHAME ON THIS WEEKLY PAPER FOR IGNORING THE CRUEL DEATH OF A YOUNG VIXEN THAT WE FOUND TIED
UP AND SADISTICALLY KILLED BY HUNT THUGS WITH DOGS. IT SEEMS ONLY PETS COUNT WITH THIS PAPER.
I'm astounded that the North Wales Weekly News were not interested in covering a story about
a young vixen who was found in a local forest, tied up and set on by either hounds or terriers. For any reporter
to say it's different for pets because somebody has bought them, was a cold and callous thing to say.
Bimbo reporter Samantha Castle even claimed that the story was too graphic for publication, but
said I could try sending a letter instead - what an insult! She even dismissed the £1,000 reward being offered
for info leading to a conviction, that Brian May's SAVE ME website supports. Yet I've seen and read some
graphic animal stories in the North Wales Weekly News, so Ms Castle's excuse was a lame one. In other words,
it was alright for this young vixen to have had her hindleg tied up with rope to a post,
so that thugs could set their savage dogs on to her, ripping off her other hindleg and ripping out
her guts. Ms Castle told me that people have different views about foxes, so I suppose it's okay then,
is it?! But surely, whatever your views on foxes and other wildlife (and most people are wrong about foxes), nobody
should have the right to inflict such gross suffering onto an animal. And the press has a duty to inform the
public about this kind of horrific cruelty, if only to help bring the perpetrators to justice and also to warn local
people that this terrible thing happened on their doorstep.
Do these media people think foxes are
not capable of feeling fear and pain? Foxes are highly intelligent animals - even more so than dogs!!
I'm shocked to the core that this young animals suffering meant nothing to this woman or indeed any of
the North Wales Weekly News staff who may have read my report and sidelined it as unimportant.
So
let those of us who are caring and compassionate spread the word and get some justice for this
vixen now named Bracken, by getting her story out into the open - and to hell with those who couldn't care less.
Needles to say, there were other newspapers
including the BBC who did an excellent job of getting our appeal out to the public at large. So a great big thanks to
professional reporter Natalie Jones and her Editor Nic Outterside of the Denbighshire Free Press. And thanks
to the Flintshire Evening Leader, Daily Post and BBC Wales. It's good to know that some media people can
see still see a good story when it presents itself, and more importantly, care.
Judi
|
| Sicko's tied young vixen's leg to post,, so their dogs could savage her to death. |
|
| This poor girl stood no chance in the hands of cowards |
£1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of cruel thugs.
Wales Against Animal Cruelty and Brian May's SAVE ME website are offering a £1,000 reward
for information leading to the conviction of those responsible for torturing a fox cub to death.
It's not what you would expect to find when taking a forest walk, but there
she was, a young dead vixen with orange nylon rope tied in a knot around her left hind-leg.
Her other back leg had been virtually torn off - hanging literally by a thread, just a jagged upper
leg bone jutting down from her lower body. It was obvious that this poor animal had been tied
to a post and used as bait to train young dogs. She was then dumped down a ditch on top of bramble
and dried grasses. It was the smell of decay that gave away her whereabouts.
This young vixen had
either been kept captive or else she was trapped/dug out, then brutally abused as bait to train young hounds/terriers. She
was very small for an adult vixen, but you could see she must have been very beautiful. When we first saw her
lying there, she looked perfect, untouched. But when we turned her over and saw the mess she was in, and the nylon rope
tied so tightly around her left hindleg, we were shocked to the core. The type of rope used is the same as that used by farmers
to tie bales.
I cannot begin to image what this poor young animal went through
before she died of her injuries. She must have been so terrified too! The people who did this are evil, sick cowardly
thugs.
If anyone knows who did this cruel and terrible thing, I
hope they will do the decent thing and contact the police. These 'sick' people need to be caught and fast.
07799 475727
LORD ASHCROFT - BILLIONAIRE SUPPORTER WHO FINANCED TORY RETURN TO
HELP BLOOD-SPORTS
Ashcroft's lawyers silence 'Panorama'
By Andy
McSmith and Stephen Foley in New York
Thursday, 18 March 2010
The BBC has shelved a Panorama
documentary about the business affairs of the Tory billionaire Lord Ashcroft, because of a threat of legal action.
The Corporation has received what one insider described as "several very heavy letters" from Lord
Ashcroft's lawyers. There is now little or no prospect of the investigation being broadcast before the general election,
if it goes out at all.
The hold-up will delight David Cameron's campaign team, who had been trying to pressure
the BBC into delaying the programme until after the general election. But sources inside the Corporation firmly deny that
political pressure played a part in keeping the programme off the air, attributing the delay solely to the risk of legal action.
The Tories are anxious to suppress more publicity about Lord Ashcroft's affairs after the outcry earlier
this month when the Tory billionaire belatedly revealed that he is not domiciled in the UK for tax purposes, and so pays no
tax on his huge overseas assets.
The revelation that Lord Ashcroft is a "non-dom" has prompted
two separate committee hearings in Parliament into the circumstances under which he was awarded a peerage, both of which are
being held today.
Panorama sent a team to Belize and to the Turks and Caicos Islands, where Lord Ashcroft
has business interests, to interview businessmen and politicians. Those interviewed included the Prime Minister of Belize,
Dean Barrow, a former ally turned critic of Lord Ashcroft; and Shaun Malcolm, a former chairman of the opposition in the Turks
and Caicos. The team was led by James Oliver, an experienced BBC journalist.
Plans to broadcast the
programme this month provoked furious protests from Conservative headquarters. Senior Tories fired off letters of protest
to the director-general of the BBC, Mark Thompson, and the chairman of the BBC Trust, Sir Michael Lyons. They objected that
it was unfair to broadcast a programme on such a sensitive topic in the run-up to a general election.
But
neither the director-general nor the Trust has intervened to block the programme, sources inside the BBC insisted. One said:
"If the programme doesn't go out before the general election, it has nothing to do with the Conservatives. It's
to do with whether it's legally clearable." Another said: "Things take time when you are dealing with offshore
finances. It's easy to jump to the conclusion that this is connected to the general election, but the main priority is
to make sure the programme goes out in a form in which you are sure it is right. It's an amazingly difficult area."
A spokesman for Lord Ashcroft said it was "hardly a revelation" that the peer's lawyers had
contacted the BBC over the Panorama programme. He added: "We shall watch this space."
Lord
Ashcroft is taking legal action against The Independent over two reports on his business interests in the Turks and Caicos.
No one from Panorama was available for comment, but a BBC spokesman said: "The programme is not on
the schedule at the moment. We do not know when it will be aired."
Michael Ashcroft is deputy
chairman of the Conservative Party. He is also the party's biggest single financial backer, through his company Bearwood
Corporate Services.
He was nominated for a peerage in 1999 by William Hague, who was then leader of
the Conservative Party, but was rejected by the Honours Scrutiny Committee, because he lived abroad. The peerage was granted
in 2000, after Mr Ashcroft gave Mr Hague a written promise that he would become a UK resident. For the next nine years, he
refused to answer questions about whether he was a UK taxpayer, until his hand was forced by a Freedom of Information request
submitted by the Labour MP Gordon Prentice. "It's very disappointing the BBC has pulled the plug on this programme.
It's of immense public interest," Mr Prentice said yesterday.
The Commons Public Administration
Committee will today hear evidence from Baroness Dean, a Labour peer who was a member of the scrutiny committee that first
blocked and then approved Michael Ashcroft's peerage, and Sir Hayden Phillips, who was the senior civil servant involved.
But the hearing has been weakened because the three Conservative members are refusing to take part.
A
committee of the House of Lords that looks into members' interests will also meet today to consider a complaint from a
Labour MP, Martin Linton, that Lord Ashcroft had failed to observe a rule that requires peers to act in their "personal
honour".
These appalling comments are what you would expect from a pro-hunter - not a Lib
Dem against repeal.
Lib Dem candidate
Gail Colehill is listed as being against repeal (even signing up to the site run by Brian who she insults) but
her disgraceful comments about Brian who is doing an absolutely brilliant job with this campaign, show she is out of touch
and has no concept of how people feel on this issue. Brian has more integrity than she will ever have. I would rather have
a rock star who has compassion, intelligence and commitment than a Lib Dem who makes such appalling remarks!
As for Jacob
Rees Mogg, well you would expect bile this from a pro-hunt Tory, but not a Lib Dem who is supposed to be against
repeal.
Nick
Clegg talks a lot of stuff about 'new politics' but his candidate for North East Somerset shows total contempt
for the vast majority of the public and our wildlife with her remarks.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8641960.stm
Rock star Brian May in tirade against Leicestershire council leader
Wednesday,
April 21, 2010, 09:36
Rock star Brian May has launched an attack on Leicestershire
County Council leader David Parsons over his support for fox hunting.
The world-famous Queen guitarist
called Mr Parsons a "pathetic, arrogant, jumped-up, snivelling little dweeb", and a "disgrace"
to his office in a strongly-worded piece published on his website.
Mr May was responding
after Mr Parsons wrote to the Mercury last week, attacking the superstar's support of an anti-hunting campaign.
In his original letter, Mr Parsons wrote: "I fear people in rural communities are not going to take lectures
from a cosseted London rock star on how the countryside should be run.
"The Quorn Hunt and
others like it are part of the fabric of our countryside tradition.
Well done Brian, this
idiotic council leader should check his conscience. I suppose he would say it's right to return black people
to slavery - to put very young kids up chimneys and to take away a womans right to vote - after all these vile practices
used to be tradition in good old Britain.
Labour’s anger as Tory group pockets £50,000
for campaign
Saturday 17th April 2010
More than £50,000 of private donations made
to a parliamentary campaign in Pembrokeshire has been described as an ‘abuse of our democratic position’.
The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Conservative Association has received the money in the past two-and-a-half
years to back the campaign by Simon Hart, who is chief executive of the Countryside Alliance.
The seat, held for the past 18 years by Labour’s Nick Ainger, is regarded as a key target for the Tories.
As a Labour whip, Mr Ainger helped introduce the Hunting Act five years ago. At his campaign launch last
week, he said: “People don’t realise the huge sums that have come into this constituency with just one aim —
wanting to see the foxhunting ban overturned.”
He added: “We don’t want to go back to the days where rich people are able
to influence the outcome of an election. It’s an abuse of our democratic position.”
Former
First Minister Rhodri Morgan, who was at the launch, said: “It’s not going to work because Pembrokeshire people
are very independent. The fact you can buy a seat by paying money into it won’t wash.”
But
Mr Hart has hit back, saying any notion of ‘buying’ an election campaign is “rubbish”.
He said: “We all have to raise money to fight our campaigns. Mr Ainger does it courtesy of the taxpayer and
trade unions and I am doing it via personal friends who have chosen to support me. We are all subject to a legal spending
limit, regardless of how much money is raised.
“I am surprised my colleagues on this political
journey prefer to examine whether or not my friends support my campaign, rather than account for their record and set out
their vision for the future.”
More than £45,000 has come in from Johan Christofferson,
who is a hunt joint master and whose donations to the party now total more than £250,000.
Donations to the constituency also include a further £2,000 from Lord Daresbury, a former
chairman of the Masters of Foxhounds Association.
Claims by Mr Ainger that at
least £25,000 has been given to the constituency by Conservative party vice-chairman Lord Ashcroft through his company
Bearwood Corporate Services have been dismissed as ‘ludicrous’ by Mr Hart.
Plaid
Cymru criticised the peer’s involvement with the Tories after the Preseli Pembrokeshire association received £9,500
for a campaign assistant’s salary between 2004 and 2005.
Mr Hart said: “I have had
some marginal seat funding from central office, but no money from Lord Ashcroft.”
-------
Hunting film will explain why law must stay
Saturday, 17 April 2010
Should the Conservatives be elected into power, David Cameron intends to repeal the
Hunting Act and most Conservative candidates intend supporting him, including those in this area.
Although
a popular law with decent people, the Hunting Act has many faults, as indeed many new laws have but repeal will cause cruelty
on a massive scale for all our wild animals.
There is a unique film showing why the Hunting Act must remain law, funded
by public subscription, to be previewed around the country during April and it is to be shown in the Old Town Hall, Carlisle
at 7.30pm on Wednesday, April 28.
ELAINE MILBOURN
Torpenhow
Judge: 'Badger
cull order lawful' Awful more like!!!
A judge has rejected a legal challenge to the assembly government's
decision to cull badgers in part of south west Wales.
Animal charity the Badger Trust applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the planned cull, which aims to
combat bovine TB infection.
The cull area would
cover north Pembrokeshire, and a small part of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.
Justice Lloyd Jones said the Welsh Assembly Government's order was lawful.
The cull is expected to take place over the next few months.
Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said previously that bovine TB was out of control, and last year cost the taxpayer
nearly £24m in compensating farmers.
She said cattle and badgers were the main sources
of the disease and, to eradicate bovine TB, the disease had to be tackled in both species.
Effect
on cattle
There would also be stricter cattle control measures in the cull area.
Opponents say it has not been proved that a cull of badgers would significantly contribute to the eradication of
bovine TB.
Justice Lloyd Jones heard two days of submissions during a hearing in Swansea last
month.
The assembly government's barrister Timothy Corner QC said there was no dispute about
the significance of bovine TB and the effect on cattle.
He argued there was a lack of evidence
for vaccinating badgers and it had not been qualified scientifically.
The Badger Trust's
barrister David Wolfe said there seemed to be a different approach to pushing forward with the cull in Pembrokeshire while
possibly vaccinating in other parts of Wales at a later date.
He also questioned whether the
minister had made her decision based on all the facts and all the scientific evidence available.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/8622873.stm
Published: 2010/04/16 09:21:38 GMT
What can we expect from ignorant AM's - most are farmers and former councillors who are
just ordinary people without a clue - yet they're in charge of our destiny!
Imagine your neighbour suddenly deciding
to go into politics - you know he doesn't have any qualifications or even much of a clue about any particular
subject. This is the Welsh Assemby - frightening isn't it?
It is official…………..just announced at the Conservative Manifesto
launch…..
“The Hunting Act has proved unworkable. A Conservative Government
will give Parliament the opportunity to repeal the Hunting Act on a free vote, with a government bill in government time.”
David Eckersley
VoteOK
Vote-OK is democracy in action. Volunteers helping MPs and candidates
who support the repeal of the Hunting Act and care about the countryside.
HOW CONVENIENT
FOR THE TORY PRO-HUNT SUPPORTERS (WHO MADE THE HUNTING ACT UNWORKABLE BY BREAKING THE LAW AND WHO
CONTINUED TO TORTURE DEFENCELESS ANIMALS TO DEATH FOR THE FUN OF IT) TO HAVE THEIR CHOSEN LEADERS WITHIN THE
CONSERVATIVE PARTY SAY THE ACT IS UNWORKABLE!
WHO NEEDS NAZI'S WHEN WE HAVE SUCH VILE UNFEELING PEOPLE PULLING
THE STRINGS OF THE PRO-HUNT TORY HIGH COMMAND?
Questions to ask David Cameron:
Why has the Conservative Party rejected a 10-year £50million
research study by the ISG which concluded a) that a badger cull would make no meaningful impact on bTB and b) that it might
make matters worse?
Conservative
shadow spokesmen repeatedly assert that large numbers of badgers are dying in agony from TB and that their removal should
be seen “as an animal welfare intervention as much as a measure to protect livestock”. Where
is the evidence to support such extraordinary claims? Is this not simply political spin to try to appease public opinion?
The public gets mixed messages
about the Conservatives’ intended cull. Shadow Environment Minister Jim Paice has been frequently quoted as saying that
a badger cull is a priority but he is also on record as saying that he wants “to cull only those badgers which are likely
to be infected with TB” and he has repeatedly pointed to the possibility of the Polymerase Chain Reaction test (PCR)
being a way to achieve that. How soon does the Conservative Party intend to act if elected and does it not now accept
the verdict of both the Government and the TB Advisory Committee that PCR cannot be used to identify “infected setts”
or infected badgers?
As selective culling of diseased badgers is clearly not possible will the Conservative
Party now drop its highly contentious claim –widely seen as yet more spin--that a cull will lead to healthy badgers
living alongside healthy cattle?
Will the cull proposed by the Conservative Party differ in any fundamental way from previous culls? In the past couple
of decades more than 50,000 badgers—most of them healthy—have been slaughtered yet bTB has continued to spread.
Jim Paice talks variously about “some element of badger culling” and also refers to “
targeted and controlled culling of badgers” in TB hotspots. What exactly does this mean?
The ISG demonstrated that reactive localised culling made matters worse. Their conclusion was that only a massive and
sustained regionwide slaughter of badgers would have any impact, which would be limited and this alone would not eradicate
disease. You personally frequently refer to the need for honesty and transparency in politics, so will you spell out exactly
what you and Jim Paice mean by some element of culling?
New research from the Imperial College concludes that any apparent benefits from a badger
cull would be relatively shortlived and that the costs would outweigh the savings by a factor of as much as three to one.
Aren’t those two further reasons to abandon a badger cull and concentrate instead on the scientifically validated underlying
problems: cattle-to-cattle spread and a testing system which is fallible (it misses up to 20 per cent of infected cattle),
too localised and too infrequent?
By testing all herds in Wales the Welsh have found significant numbers of infected herds which would otherwise have
gone undetected for several years. Isn’t that clear evidence that the root of the problem—and
the continuing spread of bTB-- lies not with badgers (no-one has yet demonstrated unequivocally how they transmit TB to cattle)
but with the reservoir of undetected disease in cattle?
The country’s population of deer exceeds two million. TB in one species has been found
to be as high as 15 per cent or so. Do you propose to research their possible contribution to the bTB epidemic?
They do, after all, graze alongside cattle
After foot and mouth it was established beyond doubt that the sale of infected cattle from TB hotspots
had spread the disease to previously clean areas of the country. Doesn’t that further underline the significance of
cattle-to-cattle spread , especially in TB hotspots where ineffective testing allows the disease to constantly spread throughout
herds?
The TB Advisory Committee
recommended over 30 cattle-based measures which it argued could reduce the spread of bTB. How many of these
does the Conservative Party propose to implement before it slaughters badgers?
With so much scientifically validated evidence against a cull and such
strong evidence pointing to cattle-to-cattle transmission as the continuing fundamental cause of bTB will the Conservative
Party now scrap its proposed cull?
Ends..
Crib sheet: Why we (Badger Trust) are against
a badger cull. These notes may provide Groups or their members with some responses when faced with calls
for more badger culling or considering letters or articles for their local media. We hope you will find some or all of these
points useful.
IT
WON’T WORK: A 10-year £50million taxpayer-funded research programme by the Independent
Scientific Group (ISG) concluded that a badger cull would have no meaningful impact on the bTB epidemic and that on a comparatively
local scale it could make matters worse (as happened when reactive culling was carried out as part of the randomised badger
culling trial).
UNECONOMIC:
The ISG questioned the cost benefits and in a recently published report the Imperial College calculated that the
costs would outweigh the savings by a factor of at least three to one. It also concluded that the benefits from culling badgers
would be comparatively shortlived (perhaps four years).
FAILED CULLS: in the past 20 years more than 50,000
badgers have been slaughtered and bTB has continued to rise.
HOW? Despite decades of research no-one has yet demonstrated
conclusively how badgers transmit the disease to cattle. If, as suggested, badgers entering cattle food stores on farms
defecate and urinate on the food and in that way pass on the disease, biosecurity (disease prevention) measures are readily
available to farmers. So far the evidence is that the uptake has been poor.
CATTLE-TO-CATTLE: bTB is a highly infectious respiratory
disease passed readily between cattle. Post foot and mouth cattle from TB hotspots in the south west were sold (without
pre-movement testing) to clean areas in the north, directly causing new outbreaks of bTB. Our belief is that this cattle-to-cattle
transmission is occurring regularly in bTB hotspots, partly as a result of the long periods that cattle are confined together
indoors over winter, and is the root cause of the bTB epidemic.
TESTING FAILURES: the “live” test used routinely
to detect TB in cattle is an effective herd test—ie. it will find disease in a herd—but it doesn’t
detect it all. Typically it is about 75-80 per cent effective, which means that in every 100 cattle tested it may miss 20-25
infected animals. As a result, disease remains in a herd and continues to spread. Despite the absence of any supporting evidence
these new outbreaks are frequently blamed by farmers not on the shortcomings of the testing procedure but on badgers.
A SLAUGHTER:
TB in badgers can be detected only at post mortem. So any “cull” will be non-selective. With cattle,
only the diseased animals, the positive reactors, are slaughtered. With badgers this is not possible—so “culls”
will take out all badgers, diseased or not. Most badgers are healthy and free of TB. Claims by some farmers that they can
visually diagnose TB in badgers are nonsense. There have been suggestions (notably recently by the Conservatives) that PCR,
the Polymerase Chain Reaction test which samples genetic material, might be used to
detect “infected” setts and infected badgers. The TB Advisory Group has ruled that out. In
its 2009 final report it says categorically that there is currently no validated test which can prove that
badgers in a sett have TB, nor is the test sensitive enough to determine whether DNA detected at a sett
is from viable and infectious M. bovis mycobacteria.
2 CRIBS
LESSONS FROM HISTORY:
in the 1950s and 1960s a much larger bTB epidemic (more than 40 per cent of the UK dairy herds were affected) was
resolved through improved testing, tight controls on cattle movement, and the slaughter of all diseased cattle. The disease
was all but eradicated without badgers being slaughtered or implicated. We believe a similarly tough regime carried out over
many years will bring the current TB epidemic under control. It is a matter of judgement as to whether eradication is possible
or practical.
WILD
RUMOURS: claims that TB in badgers is now so widespread and severe that badgers are dying in large numbers are totally
unfounded. Assertions that the level and severity of the disease in badgers is now a “welfare issue” have no authoritative
or scientific validation. The claims are advanced by pro-cull factions in an attempt to persuade the public
that a cull is necessary.
A CULL=HEALTHY BADGERS! The NFU and other pro-cull factions often claim that a cull is the way
to have healthy badgers living alongside healthy cattle. Another nonsense! As most badgers —typically eight out of every
10—are TB free, a cull will kill far more healthy badgers than diseased ones. Where would the new generation of healthy
badgers appear from?
THE REAL CAUSE: a highly infectious respiratory disease, bTB is spread readily on exhaled droplets.
Cattle-to-cattle transmission is, we believe, the primary cause of the epidemic and rigorous, long-term, cattle-based measures
are required to bring it under control. Buying and selling untested cattle, the normal policy for decades until comparatively
recently, has been one of the fundamental failures of a farming industry that now wishes to blame the badger as the main cause
of the epidemic.
ACTION
NEEDED: the TB Advisory Group put forward over 30 cattle-based recommendations aimed at bringing the disease under
control, among them improved biosecurity measures. We want to see the Government of the day implementing those improvements,
not slaughtering badgers.
Ends…
SAVE THE BADGER
ITV
WALES - 'WALES THIS WEEK'
DOCUMENTARY ABOUT
THE WELSH ASSEMBLY'S BADGER "CULL"
7.30PM,
THURSDAY, 8TH APRIL, 2010
Save
The Badger, Brian May, and other opponents of WAG's plan to slaughter thousands of badgers in Wales,
are appearing in ITV Wales' documentary programme, Wales This Week, which will be broadcast tonight, Thursday,
8th April at 7.30pm.
Let's
hope we get a fair hearing!
Best wishes,
Susan Morris (Save The Badger)
--
SAVE THE BADGER
Tel: 01443 231990
Email:
info@savethebadger.com
Web: www.savethebadger.com
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http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/wildlife//2282//
Badger cull: Latest news
12th March 2010
Sett Surveying Begins
Sett survey work is now underway, with teams of Welsh Assembly Government
(WAG) contractors active in the area. A combination of official secrecy and unprecedented, restrictive legislation is already
exposing local residents to upsetting security risks. Cull Watch has received the following information to date:
- The contractors are operating in teams of up to four people. They are of university student age or thereabouts.
- They arrive unannounced in unmarked white Landrovers, despite landowners in the area being advised by WAG that contractors
should contact them directly prior to commencing surveys.
- The ID cards they provide carry only photos and no names.
On the cards there is a number to ring (0800 496 1439) to confirm the holders ‘identity number’.
- They
have been surveying in the Cemaes Head area to the north of Poppit Sands and in the region of Bridell to the south side of
Cardigan.
Dairy Farmers: doing their bit?
We have received information that the ‘biosecurity
measures’ that were supposed to be mandatory as part of the package of measures to eradicate TB, are, in fact, entirely
voluntary on the part of farmers. For example, it is ‘recommended’ that ‘cattle do not graze pasture for
two months after slurry/ manure/ dirty water has been applied on it’ – but this is not enforced.
The
‘cattle control measures’, we are informed, also amount to next to nothing. Cattle can still be moved in or out
of the cull area provided they have had an (unreliable) TB test, and within a 60 day testing window.
Even more
shockingly, notification of movements will be left to the farmers themselves. There will be no post-movement testing. Cattle
will still be able to go to markets and return if unsold, with a quarantine period of just six days. Bulls can still be taken
round farms in the cull area. There will be no increase in the number of clear TB tests ‘reactor’ cows require
before rejoining a herd.
For farmers in the cull area, there will be an annual vet visit to discuss farm health
and biosecurity, but no other monitoring or checks. It is business as usual for the farmers.
So, WAG’s promised
‘extra measures’ – which supposedly make the Welsh badger cull different from the RBCT – really amount
to only the shortening of the TB testing interval from one year to six months. The ‘pilot area’ is little more
than a wildlife massacre zone.
Fantastic news!
Thanks to everyone who lobbied and took
part in the consultation.
from
Born Free website
Ban on the use of Wild Animals in Circuses in England imminent?
25 March
2010
Categories: Homepage News, Zoo Check Campaign News
Our Animal Loving Public has spoken – and the Government is listening. Today
Jim Fitzpatrick, The Animal Welfare Minister announced that the huge response to the Government’s consultation on the
use of wild animals in travelling circuses in England clearly indicated that this is no longer acceptable and he is ‘minded
to pursue a ban on the use of these animals in circuses’
The Born Free Foundation has long campaigned for
such a ban and has actively participated in deliberations and the Government consultation process, believing firmly that a
complete ban is the only humane and sensible approach. This view is shared by over 94% of those who responded.
Virginia McKenna OBE, Co-founder and Trustee of the Born Free Foundation welcomed this news. ‘Finally, the days of
seeing elephants, tigers and other exotic animals being carted round the country in small beast wagons and being made to perform
undignified tricks could soon be over. The public has spoken loudly and clearly and are demanding a ban.
It is vital that this process is now not derailed by the General election – implementing such a ban would be a positive
news story for any political party and, as this recent public consultation clearly demonstrates, one that would be welcomed
by the vast majority of constituents’. While this decision would only impact on England, it is sincerely hoped that
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will follow suit.
In a further indication that a ban is imminent, Fitzpatrick
went on to say that ‘We also want to make sure that circus animals are well looked after once they stop performing…
and we will work with all concerned to secure a future for these animals’. There are approximately 40 wild animals
used in travelling circuses in the UK.
A ban on wild animals would not prevent circuses from continuing touring
with their other acts; it would give the public the result they have wished for for many years and the government’s
dedication to seeing a secure future for the animals affected represents a clear win win situation for all concerned.
 |  | The Helicopter Slaughter
Has Begun Last year, Alaska
officials killed 84 wolves in an area near the Yukon-Charlie Rivers National Preserve (photo above). Two hundred wolves have
been sentenced to death this year, with state agents employing spotter planes and a helicopter to track and kill these wolves.
The first were killed earlier this week. 
Please donate now to help save the lives of these wolves and other imperield wildlife.
With your emergency support, we can…
- Provide essential support to a legal challenge of Alaska’s out-of-control wolf-killing
- Enact federal legislation to help end cruel, unscientific and unnecessary aerial wolf killing
- Help mobilize opposition to the appointment of a permitted wolf killer to the Alaska Board of Game.
Deadline Extended: Please help us reach our $100,000 goal by tomorrow. We still need $60,000! |
Dear Sharon,
The poor wolves don’t stand a chance.
First spotters from airplanes circle known wolf territory to sight their prey. Then the helicopter swoops in, with
marksmen firing high-powered rifles to gun down the defenseless animals from above.
At least 200 wolves near the
Yukon-Charlie Rivers National Preserve -- two thirds of the wolves in the area -- are now in the crosshairs of Alaska’s
aerial gunners.
And we’ve just received
the sad news that the first eight of these magnificent animals have already been slain.
Please make an emergency donation today
to stop this massacre by supporting our intensive legal and Congressional efforts to rein in this aerial butchery.
Working with our sister organization, Defenders of Wildlife, we have mounted a court case that could end needless killings like those
taking place near the Yukon-Charlie Rivers National Preserve -- challenging the very constitutionality of Alaska’s wolf-killing
programs in the state’s Supreme Court.
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund is also leading the fight to pass federal legislation to stop Alaska’s cruel, unscientific and unnecessary
aerial wolf-killing. We already have 130 cosponsors in the House and 7 cosponsors in the Senate.
And we’re helping Defenders of Wildlife mobilize
public opposition to prevent a permitted wolf killer from being appointed to the state’s
powerful Board of Game: a Fairbanks trapper, who owns a fur tannery and the company that manufactures the Alaska Wolf Trap
and has also held a permit to shoot wolves from aircraft under the state’s aerial wolf-killing program.
Help us save wolves in Alaska and other
imperiled wildlife.
We need your help, Sharon and we need it now.
Your emergency contribution today could help save the
life of one of these beautiful animals. Please send what you can afford today. Thank you!
For the Wild Ones,
 |  Rodger Schlickeisen
President, Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund |
P.S. Alaska’s war on wolves has just claimed another eight defenseless animals.
Please make an emergency donation to support
our efforts today. If you prefer, you can contribute over the phone by calling 1-800-425-4632. |
| |
|  | | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Donate | Defenders Action Fund Home |
|
AND ABOUT TIME TOO!!!!
HMA
Bryan Grifiths,
the gyrocopter pilot, was found NOT GUILTY of
manslaughter this afternoon
at Birmingham Crown Court.
The press coverage will be sure to be biased as it has been throughout
the
trial, leaving out swathes of stuff that shows up the hunters and
exonerates Bryan - we can hope for better TV
coverage.
Penny
Never doubted his innocence for a minute. Judi
It's hard to feel any sympathy for Morse, a notorious hunt thug, known to have taken
part in terrier work too (the most evil form of hunting there is!).My sympathy is for poor Bryan who spent
months in prison for basically trying to flee from a man who was being threatening. Bryan had every right to be
afraid of Morse, a mountain of a man. My sympathy and tears also go the many foxes killed by this cruel terrier-man
and his ilk. I suppose what goes round, comes round!!
ANTI-HUNT PROTESTS AT CAMERON CONFERENCE
The
anti hunt protests against Cameron in Bolton and North Wales were featured prominently in the Trevor McDonald programme
last night on ITV. See player below, starts at 12 mins.
The
Welsh demo is at 28 mins 47.
This shows the fantastic impact these demonstrations are producing by highlighting Cameron's
barbarous agenda to the public. Once the election is officially called there will be numerous other opportunities.
http://www.itv.com/itvplayer/video/?Filter=127596
RMT FUNDING THE VITRIOLIC FOX HUNTER, KATE HOEY.
It has emerged that the RMT union are funding pro-bloodsports MP and Countryside Alliance Chair Kate Hoey.
Speaking to the press last week the General
Secretary of the RMT Bob Crow said: "We know that Kate Hoey likes a bit of fox hunting
(A bit! - She's this most gruesome sport's most ardent supporter!) but she is in favour of renationalisation
of the railways and repeal of the anti-trade union laws. "
PLEASE E MAIL THE RMT AND ASK THEM TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT FROM KATE HOEY.
Please refer them to the honourable tradition
in the Labour movement over many years of opposition to bloodsports and point out how backing someone like Hoey runs totally
counter to wider values of compassion and decency.
PLEASE PASS WIDELY-WE NEED TO REALLY PUSH THIS ONE! Thanks
WILD MONKEYS ‘SENT TO BRITISH LABORATORIES’
Sunday March 7 2010 WILD monkeys are being illegally trapped and plundered from the forests of south‑east Asia for
use in British research laboratory experiments, fear animal welfare campaigners.
Campaigners
and MPs are calling on the Home Office to examine allegations that wild-caught macaques are being sourced from the jungles
of Laos and Cambodia in breach of international conservation regulations.
Undercover investigators from the British
Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) found “appalling” conditions at one primate centre in Laos where the “factory
farming of macaques takes place on an industrial scale”.
They said monkeys were kept in rows of small chain-linked
pens whose floors were made of either concrete or suspended wire.
And infants were taken from their mothers aged
six months, they said, causing extreme distress to both.
Non-human primates can only be imported into the UK for
toxicology and medical research tests from companies approved by British inspectors.
 |
| Frightened jungle monkeys are kept in netting bags after being trapped
in the wild |
The regulations are aimed at ensuring adequate
conditions and preventing ruthless businessmen cashing in on the booming trade by trapping monkeys in the wild. However, the
BUAV fears those rules are being broken.
It is concerned that UK-approved centres in China and Vietnam are sourcing
their primates from unapproved farms in Laos where there is no requirement to give long-tailed macaques permanent markers
such as tattoos or chips.
Instead, they are simply given removable neck tags, which the BUAV says can be “changed
at will” and which renders record-keeping “seriously questionable”.
BUAV’s investigators
say they witnessed horrific conditions at the largest of Laos’s three primate centres, the Vannaseng Trading Company.
They claimed that the monkeys’ distress was intensified by overcrowding and by up to two months kept in dark
conditions prior to export to China and Vietnam.
They are then shipped onwards to Europe and the USA on journeys
that can take up to two days, the BUAV said.
The group also raised concerns that the British Government has just
approved a primate centre in Cambodia where campaigners have also found disturbing conditions.
The BUAV wrote to
Home Office minister Meg Hillier last week. Its director Sarah Kite said last night: “The continued use of wild-caught
primates is universally accepted as being cruel and unethical.
“For
the UK to be part of a trade where monkeys continue to be plundered from the wild would be unacceptable.”
Lib
Dem MP Mike Hancock, who has raised his own concerns in Parliament, described the conditions in Laos as “nothing short
of disgraceful” and called for an investigation into possible import rule breaches.
He said: “The British
Government is being completely complacent in this and it now needs to take decisive action.”
However, the
Home Office yesterday ruled out any investigation, saying “we have received no evidence to suggest one is needed”.
It stressed that it had inspected conditions the breeding centre in Cambodia last year and found it to be an “acceptable
source”.
A spokesman added: “We expect and require the highest standards in all aspects of animal research
and will thoroughly examine any evidence that suggests these standards are not being met.”
Some 2,000 primates
were imported into the UK from China and South East Asia over the past two years and there is no suggestion that British research
centres are breaching international regulations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.BUAV.ORG
Tim Farron is the Liberal Democrat spokesman on rural affairs and supports chasing and tearing
apart wild animals for entertainment.
|
| Michael Foot with fox cub - picture by Gary Weaser |
| Michael Foot A tribute |
| Michael
Foot, who died on Wednesday at the age of 96, was a passionate supporter of the League and he became a Patron of the organisation
in 1984. The image above is taken from an archive issue of Wildlife Guardian. His determination to rid the country of bloodsports came to a head when, during his tenure as Party
Leader, the Labour Party committed to banning them. It was the Labour Government which, two decades later, enacted that commitment. Born in Plymouth, Michael was typical of people all across the West Country in opposing hunting for
‘sport’. Our campaigns and hard work to enforce the Hunting Act and to prevent animal suffering for ‘sport’
will live on in his memory. |
Dog set on pregnant deer -
Crime, UK - The Independent 
26 Feb 2010 ... Thugs set a dog on a pregnant deer
and filmed the defenceless animal ... Duncan Thomas said: "This is a sickening attack
on a defenceless ...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/.../dog-set-on-pregnant-deer-1911867.html
Yeovil Express News
Three hounds killed in A303 Tintinhull smash
10:30am Monday 22nd
February 2010
THREE dogs were killed after being hit on the A303 near Tintinhull on Saturday morning. Police came across
the collision involving two cars which had collided with the dogs shortly before 12noon. No people were injured in the
collision but three dogs were confirmed dead at the scene. The accident happened on the main carriageway between Stoke
Sub Hamdon and Tintinhull. A Citroen Saxo and Citroen Xantia were both involved. Police say enquiries into the
incident are ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact them on 0845-4567000. Did you see
the collision? Have YOUR SAY below or email stephen.sowden@yeovilexpress.co.uk, or text your comments to 80360 and start your message YEOVIL NEWS - normal rates apply
This kind of thing is an almost weekly occurrence.
They are above the law and are just waiting for their hero Cameron to take power.
Chris
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
Hilary Benn challenges Cameron on Hunting Ban
Thousands of people who back the ban on fox hunting today joined
Hilary Benn MP, Labour's Environment Secretary, in signing an open letter to David Cameron calling on him to drop his
pledge to abolish the ban and to make clear if he also plans to repeal the ban on stag hunting and hare coursing.
Hilary Benn organised the mass letter in under 24 hours through the website www.BacktheBan.com, which brings together members of the public in support of the fox hunting ban. 2,000 people had signed up to the
letter within only 2 hours of his request and the list of signatories is growing all the time.
Thursday
18 February 2010 marks the fifth anniversary of the hunting ban coming into force. 75% of the British public support the ban,
and the RSPCA have stated that the Hunting Act has been a success.
Hilary Benn MP said:
“David Cameron’s plan to repeal the hunting ban shows that beneath the gloss the
Tories haven’t changed. Five years ago, Labour banned fox hunting, stag hunting and hare coursing because there is no
place for animal cruelty in a modern, civilised society. Making animals tear each other apart is cruelty, not sport.
“The ban has worked and has allowed people to continue riding with hunts without the cruelty previously
involved. In the countryside and the cities a huge majority of people back the ban and none of the pro-hunt lobby’s
dire predictions have come true.
"David Cameron’s personal opposition to the hunting ban, and his
appointment of a former pro-hunting lobbyist as his ‘animal welfare’ spokesperson, reveal how out of
touch the Tories are in attempting to repeal such a popular, humane and effective law. If you support the ban then please
go to www.backtheban.com and sign my letter to David Cameron.”
http://www.labour.org.uk/benn-cameron-back-the-hunting-ban
MACCA IN HUNT PLEA
Sir Paul McCartney slams Tory
plans to bring back fox hunting
14/02/2010 News of the World
SIR Paul McCartney has slammed Tory plans to bring back
fox hunting, saying the ban had been a historic victory for wildlife.
Macca said: "The scenes of animals
being hunted down and savaged with dogs for fun before the Hunting Act was passed were simply barbaric and shocking and should
remain a part of Britain's past not its future."
Tory leader David Cameron says the ban doesn't
work and has promised a free vote on repealing the law.
RSPCA Cymru suspect badger baiters
after four badger skins were found in a field near Risca, Gwent.Read
Absolutely sick!! These 'mad' thugs should be given the death penalty
for the suffering they imposed on these poor badgers. The law in this country needs tightening up and eveything should be
done to catch this vile scum. They need to be made an example - so that nobody would ever dare repeat their filthy
cruelty. PURE EVIL!
A NEW study suggests pregnant women can reduce their baby’s risk
of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in later life by drinking milk.Read
Why not drink fortified soya milk instead! There's no cruelty involved and
it's a damn sight healthier than consuming a product that can be harmful to your health. Check out the Viva link for the
truth about consuming milk.
News results for bbc badger culls not cost effective
No mercy shown in callous slaughter of animal loved by the public
At 11.30 am on Saturday 6 February 2010, over 130 nationally scarce hares on the
Raveningham Estate (Norfolk) were happily basking in the winter sunshine. By 2 pm they had been laid out cold for display
on the patio of the Old Granary Studio barn, (more often used for wedding functions and other happy occasions).
The shooters and beaters were inside, laughing, joking and stuffing their faces
at a long table. When vocal condemnation was heard, these poor creatures were hurriedly slung into the back of a Land
Rover and quickly driven away. Their ears and feet were seen by onlookers poking skyward.
Please complain about this disgusting event to:
Raveningham
Estate
The
Estate Office,
Raveningham,
Norwich,
NR14 6NS
Tel.: 01508 548152
E-mail: info@raveningham.com
Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 12:44 AM
Subject: Fw: Hunt
atrocity last week
There was a terrible incident last week in Gloucestershire.
The Warwickshire Beagles brought down a deer on someone's property. The woman couldn't save it but photographed
what happened to the deer, which died five minutes after the hounds ran off in response to a hunting horn. The woman
contacted LACS and gave them the pictures which are truly horrific.
The item below it in the blog has this:
The League Against Cruel Sports celebrates its 86th birthday this month. This image, we think
from the 1950s or early 1960s, shows a League supporter with the carcass of a dead fox killed by the hunt. The poster next
to which she is standing includes a list of activities the League wanted to see illegal. It’s very satisfying
to know that they are all now illegal.
Another incredible expression of complacency, particularly so close to pictures of the dying deer.
Peter
I want bTB to be my epitaph Feb
04 2010 WHEN Christianne Glossop was invited to speak at the AGM of the South and West
Wales Wildlife Trust (WTSWW) last month, she was walking into the lion’s den.Read
The only epitaph on Glossop's tombstone will be "I failed!
My hands are drenched in the blood of innocent animals."
Please vote "no" and circulate widely.
AWARD-WINNER IS TO HELP ARMY HEROES (See
WAAC's report further down this page, that predicted avid hunt supporter Daphne Tilley would
win Countryside Alliance award)
Jan 28 2010 by Andrew Forgrave, Daily Post
WELSH Lamb supplier Daphne Tilley is supporting a cause close to her heart after collecting the latest
award of a momentous 12 months.
Her Denbighshire farming business is donating the lamb for a £200-a-head Help
For Heroes fundraising dinner at Whitehall Palace, London, next Thursday.
The event, for up to 300 well-heeled members
of the capital’s financial community, aims to collect £100,000 for the military charity, which supports wounded
soldiers.
Carering at the dinner will be Mark Baines, sous chef at Fifteen London, the restaurant founded by celebrity
chef Jamie Oliver which is supplied by Daphne’s firm, Elwy Valley Welsh Lamb.
“He asked me if I’d
give a discount but as it was in aid of Help For Heroes I said they could have the lot for nothing,” said Daphne, of
Cefn Du Farm, Henllan.
“My family have connections with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the Royal Welsh, who are
out in Afghanistan at the moment.”
Twenty four hours before the dinner Daphne will be in London herself to see
if she has won a Countryside Alliance award as Britain’s top local food producer.
Last week she was named the
Wales winner of the Alliance’s Local Food award at the Senedd, Cardiff.
Daphne’s latest accolade follows
her success in the NFU Cymru Welsh Woman Farmer of the Year awards, which she shared with a Carmarthenshire dairy goat producer.
Both
awards recognise Daphne’s success in opening up the London restaurant market with her direct deliveries of Welsh Lamb.
What a pity she's a ruthless supporter of killing defenceless animals using
dogs!
See latest letter (further down the page) to pro-cull, pro-hunt AM, BRYNLE
WILLIAMS.
HUNTER MARGO STILLEY - AND 'ACTRESS' IN THE MOVIE 9 SONGS,
THOUGHT BY MANY TO BE A HARD CORE PORN FILM.
Seems hunter Margo Stilley has certainly
got above average looks, though she's not in the same league as Julia Roberts and the likes of Kim Basinger,
but then Roberts and Basinger never had real sex in a film. It seems Margo Stilley has little in
the way of morals. And so in my view there's not much hope of this 27yr old ever refraining from
fox hunting. She's claims to have always loved hunting since she was a kid. She also enjoys eating
cruelly produced foie gras and even likes to wear real fur. I doubt this woman could ever be persuaded to stop enjoying
the spectacle of watching hounds rip a terrified fox to shreds. A woman who freely admits she's always loved
hunting, wears fur, eats food that's produced by force feeding geese and has now joined a hunt, is not going
to change.
If you're ever tempted to go and see her movie 9 Songs, then don't bother because according
to Tony Medley, it's just hard core porn with little in the way of dialogue.
Margo Stilley, an American woman
from the Southern States, whose fathers family had been genteel plantation owners, no doubt with
inherited genes from folk that go way back to the days when most plantations were kept in business by
using black slaves.It's hard to imagine anyone who comes from that kind of bigoted background being anything but uncaring
towards animals.
Many southern folk have a reputation for enjoying hunting and living by the gun. It's
a crying shame!
Hunting is neither 'prompt nor humane'
January
18, 2010
COLIN Richey Letters, January 7, says in his letter that he
hopes the Hunting Act will be repealed "not because I agree with cruelty to animals, because I don't..." Well
make up your mind Colin, because you can't have it both ways — if you did not condone cruelty to animals, you certainly
wouldn't approve of hunting.
I am fascinated to know how, as a journalist covering hunts in
Mid Devon, Colin Richey can testify, with a straight face, that most animals were "dispatched promptly and humanely".
It's strange what some people can consider to be "prompt and humane". Make no mistake, the hunted animal's
death begins when the chase begins and, as hunters fondly relate (in their favourite magazines), hunts of seven, eight, and
even 11 miles in pursuit of foxes, and much longer in the case of deer, no word could be less appropriate than "prompt"
to describe the hideous and gruelling chase.
And that is just the chase; in the case of a fox,
the animal's abdomen and thorax is ripped open by the dogs. In the case of a deer, it has to stand, beaten, exhausted
and trembling, before the pack, and watch in utter fear as a hunter approaches with a gun and shoots it dead.
Hunters go out, specifically to entertain themselves, and wreak utter misery and suffering upon beautiful, healthy
wild animals. They consider it a fine day when they have torn the life from at least one of their chosen quarry, and better
still, two or three. In fact, during the cub-hunting part of the fox-hunting season, a morning's carnage can involve six
or more young foxes. Colin Richey may consider this matter to be of little importance,
but to all decent people it is a matter of serious moral gravity, as are all issues concerning the infliction of pain and
suffering upon a victim for the gratification of the humans inflicting the misery.
Penny Little
Great Haseley, Oxfordshhire
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/features/Hunting-prompt-humane/article-1719487-detail/article.html
WALES is to press ahead with a badger cull in the spring in defiance
of an imminent legal challenge from wildlife lovers.Read
Badger cull to go ahead in
Wales to counter 'dramatic rise' in bovine TB
Minister claims
disease is out of control, but animal welfare groups cite evidence that culling does more harm than good
- John Vidal
- guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 13 January 2010
Badger cubs … their species faces a controversial cull in Wales over the
risk of spreading bovine TB. Photograph: Richard Austin/Rex Features
Thousands of protected
badgers will be culled later this year in an attempt to limit the cattle disease bovine tuberculosis (TB) spreading further
in Wales.
The decision to go ahead with a £9m pilot cull, expected to take place mainly in Pembrokeshire,
was made today by Welsh rural affairs minister Elin Jonesplan was first put forward. nearly two years after the
"Bovine TB is out of control and unsustainable and last year
cost the taxpayer nearly £24m in compensating farmers," Jones said. "This is a dramatic rise since 2000 when
the compensation bill was just over £1m. In 1997 around 700 cattle were culled because of bovine TB. This increased
to 12,000 by 2008. We know that cattle and badgers are the main sources of the disease and that, if we want to achieve our
aim of eradicating bovine TB, we have to tackle the disease in both species."
Five culls,
along with other attempts to limit the spread of the disease, will take place over a limited period for several years within
a 288 sq km pilot area where the Welsh assembly government says 42% of cattle owners have had at least one case of TB in their
herd since 2003. The first cull will take place after the badger breeding season ends in May.
The
cull was welcomed by vets and farmers but condemned by animal welfare groups. "It's not legal", said Jack Reedy, a director of the Badger Trust. "There is no justification for it because it would not be effective. The Bern Convention requires that [culling can take place only] to eradicate diseases. All the scientific evidence demonstrates that culling
does not eradicate disease. The cull is not supported by the science," he said.
The Trust
challenged the Welsh assembly in the courts before Christmas but the application for a judicial review is not expected to
be heard for some time.
"We're well aware of the costs of bovine TB but this decision
to eliminate badgers from a large area of the Welsh countryside is wrong. The way in which this area has been chosen will
mean that any lessons learned, if there are any, will not be applicable to the rest of the country. It will also make it impossible
to know which parts of the control strategy may have worked," said RSPCA senior wildlife scientist, Colin Booty.
He added that a 10-year study by the Independent Scientific Group (ISG)
on TB in cattle, which cost £50m and killed 11,000 badgers, found that culling them carried the risk of actually increasing
the spread of the disease. "The conclusion was that badger culling could make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB
control in Britain. It is important to realise that most badgers are not infected with TB. A study of badgers found dead in
Wales conducted by the Welsh assembly government published in January 2007 found that seven out of eight badgers tested negative
for the disease."
Nicky Paull, past president of the British veterinary association, welcomed
the decision: "We are delighted that the pilot cull and stricter cattle measures have been announced. There is no single
solution to tackling this devastating disease. Farmers will also have to understand the huge importance of implementing the
stricter cattle measures. The rest of the UK will be watching the pilot cull with interest."
MY LETTER TO TORY AM, BRYLE WILLIAMS
Dear Mr Williams,
After speaking to you at your surgery in Denbigh, I realise that it was a waste of our
time trying to get you to change your mind about the cull. You believe emphatically that you are in the right. You mentioned a
farm in South Wales that had to have their whole herd destroyed because of bTB, only to find the new herd also succumbed. Could
it be the newly introduced herd were already infected before they entered the farm? After all, tests can offer
up the wrong results in the early stages of the disease - plus the cattle shed to which they were introduced may not
have been completely cleared of deadly spores.
There's also the question of land lacking
in vital nutrients. Farming has become so intensive since the war and replenishing tired farm land with vital nutrients
has also fallen dramatically - so any animals (be they cattle or badgers) kept in these conditions are
going to be become weakened.
Cows also suffer a terrible double burden of having to produce far more milk than
they would for a normal calf, while at the same time being impregnated. They are also forced to suffer the mental
anguish of having their calves taken from them. I've seen many farms in a filthy state too! Is it any wonder
that cattle can succumb to bTB!
Immunisation is the only (humane) way forward and public money should
be spent on this and not the destruction of often healthy animals.
We will continue leafleting door to door throughout
North Wales, to inform the public about the threat to Welsh badgers.
Meanwhile, we know that you and the rest
of the Welsh Assembly will carry on with your barbaric cull regardless of how many people are opposed
to it. Governments clearly don't care about public opinion - because once in power they do just as they please. But remember
this, we will carry out our promise to unseat you and any other pro-cull, pro fox hunting AM before the 2011 elections;
and I for one will go out and celebrate when we have decent people governing Wales, instead of farmers out to make a
killing.
There is just one other question I'd like to ask? Why has this Welsh Assembly become another arm
of the FUW and the BASC. It seems these bodies only have to ask and their wishes are granted. We on the other hand
ask for compassion, and we are ignored!!
Now the BASC (hobby shooters) have been given a general
licence to allow them to shoot all birds deemed a pest. Birds that include Herring gulls, already in decline
in parts of the UK, and House Sparrows which are also in serious decline.
Oh, and by the way Brynle, I do care about
defenceless people. I don't write to the media on the subject of abuse to children, because there are already plenty
people speaking out for them, including governments. Sadly not many people bother to write to the papers
criticising killing for fun, or the often terrible way domestic animals are treated, so that's where I come in. I do however
send the odd donation to people affected by natural disasters, though I'm never completely sure that the money actually
gets to the people who need it.
Brynle, you might be more believable regarding your so called compassion for farm animals, if
you didn't support the right of people to be cruel to foxes, deer and hares. The fact you condone a sick
blood-sport that allows people to torment animals to the death for 'fun', shows us the
real you. What a great pity!
Judi Hewitt
VIEW FROM THE WILDLIFE TRUSTThe Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales expressed “extreme disappointment” over the cull. The trust
will see its nature reserves directly affected, and its conservation manager Dr Lizzie Wilberforce said: “The
evidence suggests that badger culling will make no meaningful contribution to the control of bTB. We therefore have to be
concerned that any positive impact made by the combined approaches of culling and increased biosecurity will be mistakenly
used as proof that culling works, and to justify an expansion of the pilot.”
Opposition to snare ban continues
The Scottish government has
maintained its opposition to a complete ban on animal snares.
The move came as MSPs quizzed Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham about calls from welfare groups to outlaw
the wire traps.
Ministers have said an effective
method to control predators, such as foxes, was vital.
The Scottish Parliament's petitions committee is considering a banning call on behalf of several groups.
League Against Cruel Sports, Advocates for Animals,
the International Otter Survival Fund and Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue have all called for Holyrood to urge ministers to bring
in new legislation which would prohibit the manufacture, sale, possession and use of all snares.
Supporters
of a ban said animals such as badgers and mountain hares were suffering horrible injures and death after being caught in snares.
Despite rejecting a ban, measures have been introduced to strictly limit the use of snares and
ban those capable of inflicting unnecessary suffering.
Ministers said the control of predators
through snares, helped to maintain Scotland's world-famous shooting industry, boost conservation and
help farmers in protect their animals.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/scotland/8452610.stm
These polititians are beneath contempt. How can they support
these vile instruments of torture? How do they sleep at night knowing some poor creature is suffering out there, in a
way we cannot begin to imagine?
These plastic politicians are the beast! They have to be completely ignorant
if they believe all the rot about so called predators taking their toll on farming. But to protect the shooting industry and
all that comes with it, is just about a low as any government can get.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Tories probe Goldsmith donations 'cover
up' |
 The Tories say they will investigate the handling of the Goldsmith donations |
The Conservative Party has admitted making mistakes in registering the true
source of a number of donations, totalling nearly £40,000. The Electoral Commission was told the money
had come from a company called Unicorn Administration. But the company was acting of behalf of a number of people including
Zac Goldsmith, the party's candidate for Richmond Park, the Sunday Times says. A Tory party spokesman said it was
due to an administrative error. The other donors of a series of cash gifts between 2005 and 2008 were
said to be Mr Goldsmith's brother Ben and property developers the Reuben brothers. While the Tories were apparently
informed of the sources of the cash, five different donations totalling £38,950, they were not registered as such with
the Electoral Commission. 'Back door gifts' A Conservative Party spokesman said: "It
appears that there may have been an administrative error in registering these donations. "Now that it has been
drawn to our attention, we are taking immediate steps to investigate it and rectify the declarations as necessary. "Clearly,
there was no motive of concealment since all those on whose behalf Unicorn was acting have already been declared as donating
to the party." Party sources insisted that there had been no attempt to cover up the donations and that all of
the donors were individually listed elsewhere on the Electoral Commission's register. Liberal Democrat Treasury
spokesman Lord Oakeshott said he would be asking the Electoral Commission to conduct an inquiry. "Back-door gifts
through front companies blatantly break the spirit of the law on cleaning up Britain's moneybags politics," he said.
"If the Conservative Party have nothing to hide, why not declare straight out their thousands instead of using
the cover of Unicorn Administration? It is hard to see how these can be simple errors." |
More Tory sleaze!
Plus the right-wing Goldsmiths are
well known as big supporters of the hunting fraternity.
This
article also mentions Ben Goldsmith.
In
2004 Ben Goldsmith gave £20,000 to the UK Green Party.
In recent years he has contributed big amounts to the Conservative Party.
Another example of how many in environmentalist/Green circles are apologists or supporters
of barbaric bloodsports and right-wing ideology.
North Wales family shows spaniels can be great gun dogs
Dec 31 2009 by Andrew Forgrave, Daily Post
A FAMILY of gundog enthusiasts are out to prove that Cocker Spaniels can mix it with their larger rivals.
Darren
and Amanda Skidmore, of Rhydymwyn, near Mold, run a breeding and training business which promotes the diminutive Cockers.
The
business, called Moel Famau Cockers, has just finished its second season on the showing circuit and is gearing up for a busy
shooting season.
All the family are involved: Alice, 14, Georgia, 11, and Kai, seven, train their own dogs as well as
helping out with demonstrations.
Darren, who works nights at Airbus, Broughton, is also a keen trialist who has enjoyed
considerable success with Cockers despite the dominance of larger Springer Spaniels.
He said: “People think Cockers
are dying out as they’re not as big as Springers.
“But they have loads of character and as much, if not
more, stamina.
“You’ll never get the complete gundog but for me, style and stamina count for a lot, and
there’s nothing better than seeing a little dog carrying a great big bird in its mouth, tail wagging and eager to please.”
The
family have 13 dogs of their own – including a couple of Springers and Labradors – and train novice dogs for other
owners at Darren’s parents’ B&B smallholding in Cilcain.
One, subsequently exported to Denmark, went
on to defeat her Springer rivals to win the Danish championship.
Darren himself is a member of 40 gundog clubs, travelling
across the UK to competitions.
And though Amanda works in family services at Flintshire County Council, she still finds
time to run a dog grooming business.
Together they can often be found beating and picking up for private shoots on the
Penbedw estate.
With 17,000 pheasants released annually on the estate, it provides the perfect training ground for the
couple’s dogs. Here they encounter shooting scenarios which improve their steadiness to bolting rabbits and flushing
game, working and retrieving in undergrowth, over fences and from water.
They also get to meet some illustrious gun
enthusiasts. “We’ve picked up for Rowan Atkinson,” said Amanda.
“He’s a very quiet man,
who keeps himself to himself. To be honest I think his wife does more shooting than he does.”
For details of Moel
Famau Cockers, visit www.gundogsrus.co.uk.
Waac says - Pity there's
no mention of these 17,000 pheasants being bred on factory farms before being released into a hostile world, where
paying guns (hobby shooters) can blast them from the sky.
Last year while driving down a narrow country lane
we came across a shooting party. As we waited to get by, a Springer spaniel approached one of
the shooters - the pheasant it was carrying in its mouth was in a terrible mess. When the shooter saw our reaction,
he became very defensive, then shook the bird breaking its neck - it was awful!
But while the media sucks up
to the hunting/shooting brigade, these atrocities will go on.
HUNT 'CRIMINALS' PURSUE FOX THROUGH HOUSING ESTATE
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1240856/Residents-left-terrified-pack-hunting-hounds-goes-rampage-street-whilst-pursuing-fox.html
"Last
year the Hunting Act was quietly dropped from the Police Manual, which officers learn for their promotional exams. The objective
was supposedly to prune down the manual, yet they managed to add a section on policing hunt saboteurs."
**Tue 05 Jan 10**
HESTON BLUMENTHAL ... THANKS ... YOU RUINED CHRISTMAS
|
| Heston Blumenthal |
Quote from Brian May, re
Heston Blumenthal
This man thought it was OK - at 8.30 pm, on prime time ITV on Christmas Eve, when
a million kids must be watching - to make light of killing. He made it seem like a normal day's work to go out, in our
full view on our television screens, look at a beautiful 2-year-old deer, walking around happily in a sunny field, kill it,
and then hack it to pieces and prepare it for food. That's his idea of entertainment. Is it yours?
All I can hope is that he gets the same reaction from those young kids
as he got from me. I was disgusted ... and I will NEVER eat in his restaurant. How about you?
Isn't it time for a change? Isn't it time to move on ... to
a better, more humane way of living? How do we feel about the millions of turkeys who will have been bred specifically to
be killed and consumed in the next couple of days? The pigs, the cows, the lambs ... Are we OK about that? And this is only
the very tip of an ugly iceberg. How are some of those animals treated, even while they are alive? Do we have the right to
use animals as commodities, as if they had no intrinsic worth as beings, or any rights to a decent life?
I'd like to try to make a difference in 2010. Anybody feel the same?
Cheers
Bri
We couldn't agree more Bri! What's
wrong with people like Blumenthal? Why can't they enjoy themselves without feeling the need to snuff out
an innocent life? I'm beginning to think that our species is dividing into two kinds of humans - those
that have evolved into a more superior, enlightened species, and those that are still basic, driven only by greed
and a selfish desire to dominate.
WESTERN DAILY PRESS 01/01/2010
Six hunt dogs killed after being hit in train accident.
Six foxhounds
from the Beaufort Hunt were killed after being hit by a train in a freak accident yesterday. The hunt was enjoying a New Year's
Eve trail hunting event near Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire,when the accident happened at about 3.15pm.
Captain Ian Farquhar,
joint master of the hunt, said everyone involved with the hunt was devastated at what had happened.
He said: "It
was a good scent day and we presume, because we don't know exactly
what happened, that the hounds got a scent of a fox when they were running the trail and ran off towards the unfenced rail
line where they were hit by a train. I have been doing this for 37 years and it is the first time I have seen an accident
like this. - "Our hounds are like our family and we are very
distraught."
He
said a total of 33 hounds were running yesterday along a trail at Dauntsey. He
said the hunt would investigate what had happened and wanted to contact the train driver, as he understood it must have been
distressing for them.
The train was the 3.02pm First Great
Western service from Bristol Parkway to London Paddington. Passenger Josh Farrington,
22, from Cowbridge, near Cardiff, said he heard a grinding sound coming from beneath the train about 15minutes after leaving Bristol. - He said: "The train slowed down very quickly.
We were in the middle of nowhere. A call came over the tannoy for the train manager and then there was an announcement
that the train had been involved in an incident involving about 20 dogs. "They
checked that the driver was OK to carry on and then the train moved off again after about 20 minutes." A spokeswoman
for Network Rail said the line had been closed for about 30 minutes.
------------------------------------------
As usual the hunts are claiming they were only trail hunting, when it's blatantly obvious
they were fox hunting. They should be done for animal abuse as well as illegally hunting a fox.
I don't recall much
celebration when the ban first came in, but if we keep the ban (even as it stands) after the next election, then I for
one will go out and celebrate in style. Judi
Just when you thought it could not get any worse...
Words fail me. I am totally disgusted and appalled
by the government sanctioning this. What next? Knighthoods for abusers for animals?
How convenient that a
supporter of circus animal abuse is given a gong at this time....
Exactly Who is pulling the strings in government
circles?
PIGS ESCAPE LORRY CRASH - THEN ROUNDED UP & SENT TO SLAUGHTER HOUSE
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8435196.stmA busy motorway had to be closed on Wednesday morning after a herd of pigs escaped from a livestock trailer which
crashed.
The southbound M11 in Essex was shut when the lorry carrying 82 live animals struck the central reservation
and overturned.
Many pigs were trapped in the wreckage and others escaped, running on to the north and south lanes,
and grazing on the grass embankment.
They were rounded up and taken to an abattoir in another trailer.
Waac says - If only the general public gave as much thought to these intelligent animals
as they do their own pets - maybe then these (Nazi style) killing houses would close their 'bloody' doors for good!
I'm sure some of these poor animals would have been limping through those doors to hell after the horrific crash.
How do slaughter-men and live transport drivers sleep at night? What a cruel world!!PLEASE PASS WIDELY
Newly released today- video of the
totally disgraceful state of affairs on the Isle of Wight as police do nothing to stop illegal
interference with a badger sett and contraventions of the Hunting Act. A national scandal is taking place on the Isle
of Wight in regards to illegal hunting.
PLEASE
CONTACT HAMPSHIRE POLICE AND ASK THEM WHY THEY ARE HELPING TO FACILITATE ILLEGAL ACTS AND EXPLAIN WHY NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN
IN REGARD TO INTERFERENCE WITH THIS BADGER SETT.
PLEASE
ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE CRIME UNIT AND MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS INCIDENT AND THE ROLE PLAYED
BY THE POLICE AND 'WILDLIFE CRIME OFFICER' ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT. ASK FOR A FULL INVESTIGATION.
E MAIL:
(PLEASE ALSO COPY E MAIL TO:)
Fantastic Mrs Fox: Milly the deaf vixen learns sign language... and develops a taste for grated cheese and Coco-Pops
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:24 PM on 17th December 2009
When animal rescue expert Beth Tyler-King was handed an orphan
deaf fox cub to look after she knew exactly what to do - teach it sign language.
Now the 18-month-old animal is called 'Milly' and has become so domesticated her two best friends are cats,
she watches TV and has a taste for Coco-Pops and grated cheese.
Milly
was first spotted when she was a six-week-old pup being chased down a country lane in North Devon by three yobs.
A family stepped in and rescued the vixen, which was badly cut and traumatised.
Enlarge
Milly the deaf fox pays close attention to her saviour, animal expert Beth Tyler-King
They looked after Milly for a few days, but eventually handed her over to Ms Tyler-King.
Ms Tyler-King, who is herself profoundly deaf, said: 'Because of the family's circumstances
they couldn't keep her and they realised that she was deaf.
'We think that is how she got separated from her mother because the mother calls the cubs.'
The 43-year-old added: I took her to vets twice and they both confirmed she couldn't
hear - she didn't respond to anything.
'It was then
decided she would stay with me for life - now I can't imagine being without her.'
She explained how she developed a signing system to communicate with the animal.
'I get her to sit - I do it by doing hand signals.
'I
put my palm out facing downwards to say sit - and she does sit.
'When she is being naughty I waggle my finger at her.'
Enlarge
Milly snuggles down in her sleeping basket with her best friend (and occasional tormentor) Angel the
cat
And Milly seems to be very happy spending at Miss Tyler-King's bungalow
in Hartland, Devon, where she spends her time with cats Angel and Harley.
'She has grown up with cats,' she said.
'They
actually put her in her place - Milly plays with the cats like puppies would, it's so funny.
'She is very gentle with them.
'Milly
has a Moses basket which she sleeps in surrounded by toys - the cats nap there too.
'She likes to hang her head upside down over the Moses basket watching TV.'
Milly enjoys a diet of day old chicks, raw tripe, cat biscuits, and cooked chicken - but
also enjoys cake, grated cheese and cocoa pops.
She also shares her home
with many other injured or sick animals and birds that Miss Tyler-King has adopted or is looking after before their release
back into the wild.
'I have been rescuing wildlife for 23
years.
'When I was 20 I got my first hedgehog,'
she said.
'It's just been word of mouth. Now vets call me if
they get an animal, or members of the public.
'My spare room is like
my intensive care room. '
At the moment I have got 30
hedgehogs and five owls, seven dogs, 14 cats, five pigeons, a dove, a parrot, a squirrel.'
She also has 12 hens and two ponies.
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1236608/Fantastic-Mrs-Fox-Milly-deaf-vixen-learns-sign-language--develops-taste-cheese-Coco-Pops.html#ixzz0a8DKrdPC
It is more than a century since it was a popular dish, stewed for hours in a
giant jug with its blood.
But now one supermarket is determined to bring hare back to our dinner
tables as top chefs add modern, more palatable recipes featuring the meat to their menus.
In a high-street revival,
diced hare, which has a stronger game flavour than rabbit, is being sold by Waitrose. It is now available in two stores -
in the food hall of John Lewis in Oxford Street and at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent.
Teal, a wild duck which is harder to source than hare even in specialist stores, will go on the shelves in the same
branches. The small birds, which typically weigh around 175g and feed one, are also very gamey and are likened more to steak
than chicken.
They were last popular with yuppies in the Eighties, who prized their exclusivity - but now the recession
has boosted the popularity of slow-cooking with cheaper cuts of meat, and both teal and hare are said to be sufficiently flavoursome
to make tasty dishes using only a small amount.
Game is also popular with health-conscious
diners because of its low fat content.
Three-Michelin-starred chef Pierre Koffman is credited with rekindling the taste
for hare, after it proved the second most popular dish in his "pop-up" restaurant on the roof of Selfridges last month.
Soho's Quo Vadis, which reopened last summer, serves game throughout the hunting season, including
teal and hare. The Hereford Road restaurant in Notting Hill also has hare on its menu.
Neil Nugent, executive chef at Waitrose, said: "Hare has been in the culinary wilderness
for more than a decade but is becoming trendy again.
"It is one of the richest meats and has a gamey, almost chocolatey
flavour, meaning you don't need to use as much to give your dish flavour.
"It's also an extremely lean
meat so has great health benefits. With the growing appeal of slow cooking, hare meat should be a thumping success."
A 300g pack of diced hare costs £3.99, while a single teal costs £4.99.
Waac
says - UGH... proof if any were needed, that some people will eat anything, probably even another person if they thought it
was in vogue!
But honestly, are the bosses at Waitrose stupid? They can only alienate many customers if they don't
stop selling meat from wild hares that are already in decline and could be pushed to extinction by this latest
fad!!!
PLEASE LODGE A COMPLAINT AND TELL THEM YOU WILL NOT SHOP
IN THEIR STORES BECAUSE OF THIS.
PLEASE PASS WIDELY-THANKS
and/or write to:
Mark Price
Managing
Director
Waitrose Limited
Doncaster
Road
Bracknell
Berkshire
RG12 8YA
Huntsman Gary Watchman
cleared of assaulting two women
8:30am Tuesday 15th December 2009
By Rachel Wearmouth
A
HUNT master has been cleared of assaulting two campaigners who were trying to film his activities from bushes.
Gary Watchman, joint master of the South Durham Hunt,
demanded that two camouflage-clad women “get off private land” when they attracted the attention of hounds in
Sedgefield on February 28.
Bishop Auckland Magistrates’ Court yesterday found the 44-year-old not guilty of hitting League Against Cruel Sports protestors Lyn
Edwards and Hazel Greaves with a riding crop.
They hid
near the Castle Eden Walkway to film the hunt.
The court
was told that when Mr Watchman discovered the pair, he became angry and said they were trespassing.
He admitted his anger with campaigners who repeatedly “crop up” at his farm,
in Bradbury, and while he is out hunting.
He said: “I
did not use foul language. I was annoyed because of the length of time these people have been pursuing us.”
Derek Walton, prosecuting, said there was “no love lost”
between the trio, but that the women were on public land.
Both women said he hit them with a riding crop and barged
into Mrs Edwards.
They also said he tried to take equipment.
Mrs Edwards said: “He was shouting loudly, I did
not know what he would do.”
Mrs Greaves said: “He
was coming through the trees like a raging bull.”
Stephen
Welford, defending, said Mrs Edwards had “walked into Mr Watchman”.
He said the pair pushed for an assault prosecution after failing to uncover illegal activities, and added: “They
dislike what they (hunters) stand for. They dislike what they do.
“These are two people who cannot get what they want, so they have manufactured something.”
The bench acquitted Mr Watchman of both charges.
Chairman Glynn Wales said: “If you had known where the land boundaries were, this
whole thing would never have arisen.”
Speaking
after the trial, South Durham Hunt chairman John Littlefair said: “It is a shame an innocent person has had to wait
nine months to be found not guilty of these allegations.”
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/4794073.Hunt_master_is_cleared_of_assault_on_animal_rights_duo/
Waac says - It should come as no surprise to find what
can only be described as a very biased judge. The legal system and media are full of pro-hunt sympathisers.
But the two ladies in this case must have had damn good evidence, or the case would have been thrown out by the prosecution
before it even got to trial.
But as ever, most judges have a hatred of anyone who speaks out against animal
cruelty.
The reporter in this case appeared to be very selective with the information she took from court.
But anyone with half a brain should be able to see through her poor report.
Deeside AM Carl Sargeant lands top job in new Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones’ cabinet
Dec 10 2009by Dave Goodban, Flintshire Chronicle
NEW First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones has announced his new Cabinet today (Thursday), within hours of being sworn
in to his new role.
And Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant has landed a top role as Social Minister for Justice and Local
Government.
The former Chief Whip is one of two new faces, as former Deputy Regeneration Minister Leighton Andrews becomes
Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning.
Jane Hutt moves to a new portfolio as Minister for Business
and Budget.
Two new Deputy Ministers have been appointed following portfolio changes. Lesley Griffiths becomes Deputy
Minister for Skills, Innovation and Science while Huw Lewis, who Mr Jones beat to the top job in Welsh politics, will lead
a newly created portfolio as Deputy Minister for Children.
In this role Mr Lewis will have particular responsibility
for co-ordination of Government matters relating to child poverty.
Waac
says - WOW! Now we know why Carl Sargeant and Lesley Griffiths got their new top jobs in the cabinet at
the Welsh Assembly. But did Ms Griffiths get her thirty pieces of silver because she
voted in favour of the badger cull after pressure from her party whip, pro-cull AM Carl Sargeant? We'll never know
for sure, but she did originally vote against the badger cull, so her change of mind has to be viewed with some suspicion.
Well you know what they say - money talks, bullshit walks, and let's be honest, there are very few honest politicians
around.
The Sunday Times. 29 November 2009.
Deer cull
has failed, admits National Trust.
The National Trust for Scotland has admitted
that a controversial cull of more than 12,000 deer on one of its Highland estates has failed to regenerate ancient woodland.
The heritage body, which began the cull on Mar Lodge estate in
1995, has spent £750,000 on killing thousands
of red deer which, it believed, caused deforestation. The animals were blamed for destroying young trees but it is thought
that poor soil may also have contributed to the decline in Caledonian pine woodland on the land in Royal Deeside.
Alexander
Bennett, the trust’s group manager, said: “We haven’t achieved the level of regeneration we wanted and are
now trying to look at what is practical.”
His admission, made in the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association
(SGA) magazine has provoked criticism from those against the cull. About 800 deer a year have been slaughtered and the herd
now numbers 1,500 compared with 4,000 in the mid-1990s. The SGA said the cull had produced virtually no new trees and
accused the National Trust of ignoring advice to use fences.
“All the money spent over the last 14 years to establish
regeneration without fencing has not worked,” said George
MacDonald, a spokesman for the SGA. “Some areas
are being
choked by blanket heather because the focus is on killing
deer. The trust is supposed to set the standard
for land
management but it’s anything but an exemplar.”
Willie Forbes, a former head stalker at Mar
Lodge, said: “What
is disgusting is the killing of deer at night using
spotlights, which means they are pursued
24 hours a day.
There are virtually none left. Tourists come here to see
wildlife but go away disappointed. The
glen has been
silenced.” Earlier this year, the Deer Commission raised concerns after a site visit revealed little
evidence of regeneration
Waac says - So typical of the blood-sports brigade, kill, kill,
kill!!!
Note - In many parts of California, including Yosemite, wildlife are left alone for nature to keep numbers
in check.
ACTION ALERT! PLEASE PASS WIDELY-MANY THANKS!
This week the Welsh Labour Party elected a new
leader, Carwyn Jones.
"To win back Wales, Welsh Labour has to listen and it has to learn." Carwyn
Jones following his election as leader of Welsh Labour.
Please e mail or write to Mr Jones and ask him to back down
from the totally unjustified and unscientific Labour/Plaid Welsh Assembly Government plan to slaughter 1000s of badgers.
Mr Jones voted in favour of the badger slaughter.
SEE THE
FOLLOWING REPLY TO MY LETTER, FROM BOURGEOIS BOHEME & ZAC GOLDSMITH'S REPLY.
Thank
you for your concern in regards to the attendance of Zac Goldsmith at Richmond's Eco Christmas Fair on December 2nd
of which we are a participant. We thank you for your feedback and have escalated
this to the organiser. Bourgeois Boheme was asked to participate in this
event in the interest of supporting fellow small companies that champion the ethical eco cause. Zac Goldsmith was invited
by the organiser as he campaigns for small local companies and environmental issues. We agreed to participate as a stall
holder for these reasons. At the time we agreed to participate, we were not aware of Zac’s stance on hunting.
Bourgeois Boheme is an ethical company with concerns for all animal,
human and environmental welfare. To be seen to be supporting cruelty to animals in any sense is not only distressing
but also in direct conflict with our company as well as personal ethos. We
apologise to have caused such sentiments. In future we will ensure that we are more diligent with whom we collaborate
with and hope that we have not caused long-term mistrust and greatly appreciate your continued loyal patronage. Zac Goldsmith’s office was contacted by the organiser and his response
is below. Zac did not attend the event but welcomes any comment
and he will respond personally to any correspondence he receives. You are invited to send your correspondence to charlotte@zgoffice.co.uk --------------------------------------------- Zac Goldsmith’s response: “I do not hunt, but given a choice, I would vote for a repeal. I will
explain why. Very few people on either side of the debate argue that there’s no need to control the fox population. If that's
the case, then hunting with dogs is surely the best option. Its very inefficiencies mean that it involves the entire community
and bolsters the local economy. Poison and guns on the other hand, require the services of the odd loner, and are never without
risk. Unlike with the alternatives, hunting with dogs results either in an instantaneous kill or no harm at all. This
is the view of the Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management which represents 560 vets. Interestingly, it is also the
view of four former Directors, including an Executive Director, of the main anti-hunting group – the League Against
Cruel Sports. They believe the shift from hunting with dogs, to the use of guns, traps and poison, has greatly increased animal
suffering. The hunting ban, in my view, had very little to do with animal cruelty. Indeed if the government had sincerely set out
to make Britain a kinder place, it would have focused on a long list of practices that dwarf hunting in terms of cruelty.
For example, factory farming, the routine use of antibiotics in farm animals, non-essential vivisection etc are many many
times more significant than fox hunting. And yet fox hunting has been the main focus of the government and many animal rights
campaigners. I believe the campaign was misguided, and largely driven by class misconceptions. The image presented of the hunters
was that of ultra wealthy landed gentry. But in Devon, the only hunting region I can speak of with any authority, hunting
is an activity that involves anyone and everyone. With rural communities and economies collapsing, hunting is one of the only
things still working. I do believe cruelty to animals is a major issue. I have provided significant support to a wide variety of
organisations campaigning for more humane agriculture, for an end to shark finning and whale hunting etc. And the Ecologist
Magazine, which I edited for ten years, has long campaigned against factory farming, the excesses of vivisection and so on.
This has always been a big issue for me personally. If you want to know more about my views on these issues, have a look at the
Ecologist website, or at my other website - http://www.theconstanteconomy.com” Warmest regardsAlicia
LaiBourgeois Boheme-Fashion with Compassionwww.bboheme.com+44 (0)208 8788 388Hydrex House, Garden Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4NR, UK About Bourgeois
BohemeWe are a compassionate fashion boutique with an ethical-business model that aims to facilitate an attitude of compassion
towards animals, humans and the environment. For more information please visit our website or our showroom in Richmond.
Go to www.bboheme.com for more information. You can now join us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Richmond-London/Bourgeois-Boheme/1017208443
Waac says - You're a hypocrit Mr Goldsmith. And bringing up the three low profile LACS
directors and the high profile Mr Barrington to try to prove your point, doesn't wash! These four LACS
traitors just prove to me that they weren't really on the side of the fox to start with.
LACS really should vet their
staff in future. You'd have thought they'd have learnt their lesson after Barrington.
HUNTING WUITH DOGS
IS CRUEL - IT'S ALWAYS BEEN CRUEL AND IT'S WHY IT WAS BANNED! Plus it had sod all to do with class envy!!
Barrington gets desperate. Notice he fails to mention he is now working with the
CA....
SEE RESPONSE BELOW:
http://cruelsports.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/smoke-and-mirrors/
Waac says - Mr Barrington must be living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks
killing with dogs is humane! He says foxes are now being horribly maimed by shooters, yet fails to mention that even pre-ban
many hunts were involved in gun pack activity - particularly here in Wales.
He also seems to be under the illusion
that foxes need to be controlled. NOT SO MR BARRINGTON! Foxes regulate themselves and if left alone numbers would remain unchanged. Hunting
disrupts the normal pattern for foxes and the death of a (dominant) lead vixen during their annual three
day mating season will ultimately cause problems within the family group. This means that other vixens
within the group can mate freely with the dog fox creating multiple litters.
Mr Barrington in my view spiteful,
a vengeful man, who crossed over from LACS to the side of evil because he couldn't see an end to legalised cruelty.
So instead of fighting harder to stop animals being persecuted for 'fun', he went to bed with the Countryside
Alliance. Mr Barrington seemingly sees nothing wrong with hunts hounding a fox to a horrible end
- at least that's how it seems to those of us fighting obscene wildlife abuse.
Barrington, once an anti-hunt
campaigner, was a gift to the Countryside Alliance. Barrington's blinkered view giving the thumbs
up to every cruel hunter in society - those born without conscience.
Oh and by the way Mr Barrington,
less foxes have been killed here in North Wales since the ban. The reason being less gun packs are operating
now. It seems using only two dogs to flush to guns is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. Judi
USUAL PRO-HUNT RUBBISH FROM LACS TRAITOR JAMES BARRINGTON
26,
Nov 2009 Countryside Alliance response to 5 year anniversary of animal hunting ban No
doubt Charlotte Atkins MP is hoping that the public will pay scant regard to the real animal welfare effects of the Hunting
Act, while she celebrates five years of this law and denigrates anyone who disagrees with her. Yet looking beyond the obvious
political spin, a very different picture emerges. Foxes and other mammals are still being killed, but now with the greater
likelihood of wounding – something that does not occur using hounds– and without the removal of the old, weak,
sick or injured animals, as scent hounds are selective. Odd that after the enormous amount of time, money and effort spent
in passing the Hunting Act, not one penny has been spent by an anti-hunting group or the government to see if animal welfare
has indeed been improved. Two independent surveys show the exact opposite.
It is no wonder that
when the natural process of hunting with hounds, and importantly the welfare consequences of banning it, are properly analysed
reasonable people begin to see that the Hunting Act is bad law. As one of four former Executive Directors of the League Against
Cruel Sports who now believe that a ban on hunting is wrong, I have no hesitation in saying that the Hunting Act should be
repealed and the way made clear for a genuine wildlife welfare law to be considered. If Parliament can spend 700 hours in
making such bad law, it can afford just a few more to get rid of it.
Jim Barrington
LACS RESPONSE to James Barrington
In the latest hatchet job attempt at denigrating the Hunting Act, the Countryside Alliance have trotted out Jim Barrington,
their ‘animal welfare advisor’ in an article on the Politics.co.uk website (in case you’ve never met him,
here’s a photo from our archive). The Countryside Alliance just don’t get it. Only the bloodthirsty hunters want
to see a return to hunting, and they’re pulling the wool over no-one’s eyes by claiming that hunting is more humane
than other forms of ‘pest control’. It’s interesting in this article that they claim hunts take the weak
and the ill; presumably not the ones that kill chickens and lambs. Or do they? Errr… some confusion somewhere.
We absolutely must Keep Cruelty History.
Waac says - James Barrington (or Jim lad) you
are a disgrace and in our view a traitor. You claim that you're on the side of animal welfare, yet support
a very cruel blood-sport that allows an animal already chased to exhaustion, then possibly dug out, to be eaten alive!!!!!
I witnessed a vixen and her cubs being put to death by a hunt Mr Barrington, and I can tell you
it most certainly was not humane. This vixens terrified screams and the pitiful squeals of her tiny cubs still
haunt me to this day.
So how dare you insult the anti-hunt lobby by claiming killing with hounds is humane, and
by insinuating that foxes are a pest and need to be controlled. Perhaps you should ask the C/A why
hunts were told to build artificial earths pre-ban because of a shortage of foxes? Or would this little snippit throw
your argument about the need to control foxes right in the dust bin?
You seem more concerned with being the
C/A's puppet than caring about animals that have only been demonised to allow a minority of bloodthirsty scum to
use and abuse them for a sick so called sport.
Judi
WE MUST NEVER BECOME COMPLACENT ABOUT BARBAROUS
HUNTERS - DECENCY DEMANDS IT!
See the warped views
of huntsman Harry Stephenson in this months edition of THE MASTERS VOICE
Foxhound
Column
So another season
is underway, five years after this Labour government thought they had made us all disappear.
The
Labour backbenchers who screamed and campaigned for the Hunting Act 04 get upset at the sight of our gleaming fit horses (some
nutters even think riding a horse should be banned..); a red mist forms in front of their eyes when they see our scarlet coats
and shiny boots, and when they see the hounds they go into shock mode.
We
are still here, and here we must stay.
But not like this; we cannot continue with
this ban still in force. Some say leave well alone, and it’s tempting to join that train of thought, but those packs
currently being monitored regularly would certainly disagree, and there’s nothing to say those who are not monitored
today - won’t be tomorrow.
The problem is that even though we are laying trails, the people
who come out monitoring and disrupting proceedings are not worried about animal welfare, they just can’t stand the fact
that we are still here. Possibly if we all dressed in shabby old clothes, and rode shaggy Dartmoor ponies, they would be less
interested.
But even though we can’t legally hunt at the moment, surely we can still uphold
the tradition of the sport we represent by turning out in full splendour. Our livery is, after all, done as a mark of respect
to the farmers and landowners who continue to allow us access to their land.
The only way forward is repeal. But that won’t be handed to us on a plate. “Some people seem to think that it is a certainty.
“Let me assure you it most certainly is not. We have to work at it, and even then we may not get
it.”
For a start, the Tories need a bigger swing than ever before;
bigger than when Mrs Thatcher swept to power in 1979 in a landslide victory. That will take some doing, and while I am optimistic
that David Cameron will be our next PM, it won’t be as easy for him as people are starting to think.
So let’s imagine the Tories get in, with say a majority of 30 seats. That would be a small workable majority,
and it would require - as I said - the biggest swing to the conservatives ever, but it is not impossible…if we work
at it.
Some image that - hunting ban over, back to how it was, thank you very much. It isn’t
going to be anything like that. The Tories have promised a free vote on repeal. But that’s all. A free vote is just
that. It means any MP of any Party can vote anyway they personally choose. There will no party line; no Government whips enforcing
the will of the party. It will be up to each MP’s personal choice.
How many PPC’s (Prospective
Parliamentary Candidates) are pro hunting. We don’t yet know, but Vote-OK are closest to an
answer. There will have to be hundreds of new MPs, all voting for hunting, for us to stand any chance of repeal. How likely
is that?
That’s why it is so important to find out who your local candidates are. Are they
going to support us if elected? If you don’t find out now, it will be too late after the event. What if you vote Conservative,
only to find the man or woman you have voted for is anti-hunting? You have to find out beforehand.
Not
all Conservatives will back a repeal. Kate Hoey is Labour, and will of course support the repeal. This is why Vote-OK is so
important. They focus support on the PPC’s who will support us, and who have a fighting chance of winning the seat from
Labour. Every hunt has a Vote-OK campaigner, and if you don’t help in the run up to the next General Election, you have
no business moaning if the free vote for repeal is a failure.
And if it fails, and there is every
chance it will, I doubt we would get another shot at it.
Labour may
cling to power, which I know sounds doubtful - but the voting system is not fair and biased towards Labour who need far less
votes to win power than the Tories. But if they do manage to cling to power, they will certainly close the loopholes in the
Hunting Act - and we will be finished.
If you can live with that, sit back and
do nothing, as many people are doing. Harry Stephenson
Waac says -
Well Harold, we really do hope you're hunting days are finished! Killing wild animals so cruelly and for
fun might have been acceptable centuries ago, but thankfully the public are no longer surfs and have at last woken
to the horrors that go with a sick sport. Your kind are dinosaurs, you should stay consigned to the history
books. We no longer want foxes chased for miles and eaten alive.
And don't you dare insult our intelligence
by claiming hunters care about wildlife! The only animals hunters seem to care about are the ones they
can terrorise during a hunt. Do you people never hear the petrified screams of foxes and hares being put
to death? What kind of cold hearted creatures are you - that can ignore their pitiful cries???
We want peace in our
countryside. Peace that we can all enjoy!!!!
West Yorkshire hunt saboteurs angry after van attack at Emley
Nov 18 2009 by Nick Lavigueur, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
HUNT saboteurs have criticised a police response after they were attacked by a pair of
masked men with hammers.
But police say the saboteurs were uncooperative and can still make a
complaint about the attack if they want.
The incident at the opening meet of the Rockwood Harriers,
at Emley, left two members of the Hunt Saboteur Association badly shaken after the windows on their minibus were smashed and
their tyres slashed.
The saboteurs say they were even more shocked when they were then held by
the police for three hours.
Lee Moon, spokesman for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, said: “Most
of the group were following the hunt to ensure they weren’t illegally hunting, but the driver and a passenger were in
the group’s van which was parked by the side of the road.
“Suddenly four 4x4 vehicles
drove at speed toward the van. They parked in such a way that the van couldn’t escape and two men wearing masks and
carrying hammers ran toward the van.
“They smashed the windscreen and both rear windows
and slashed one of the tyres before returning to their vehicles and racing away.
“They were
just about to call the police when they arrived on the scene.
“We were amazed by what happened
next. Instead of dealing with the obvious case of criminal damage by the hunt – evidenced by the smashed up van right
in front of them – the police proceeded to harass and illegally detain the group for the next three hours, searching
people and vehicles and only finally allowing them to leave when the hunt had packed up for the day.
DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR OF
WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE
HSA News Release 15th November 2009
They
Call Us Violent!
On Saturday 14th November, members of Yorkshire
Hunt Saboteurs were monitoring
the opening meet of the Rockwood
Harriers Hunt, just South of Emley, Huddersfield.
Most of the group were following the hunt to ensure they weren't illegally
hunting. The driver and a passenger were in the sab van, which was parked
by
the side of the road. Suddenly four 4x4 vehicles drove
at speed toward the
van. They parked in such a way that the
van couldn't move and two men wearing
masks and carrying hammers
ran toward the van. They smashed the windscreen and
both rear
windows and slashed one of the tyres before returning to their
vehicles
and racing away. Other members of the group, in another vehicle, soon
arrived
at the scene to find the two occupants of the vehicles shaken up and
upset
by what had happened. They were just about to call the police when they
arrived
on the scene. The police had been called by the hunt complaining that
anti-hunt
protestors were in the area.
The sabs were amazed by what
happened next. Instead of dealing with the obvious
case of
criminal damage by the hunt, evidenced by the smashed up van right in
front
of them, the police proceeded to harass and illegally detain the group
for
the next 3 hours, searching people and vehicles and only finally allowing
them
to leave when the hunt had packed up for the day. At no point did they
enquire
as to the welfare of the two people who had been in the van during the
attack
and they were completely disinterested in the attack itself. They even
refused
to act when the perpetrators of the attack drove past laughing. During
the
afternoon there were over twelve police officers and four vehicles present.
Members
of Yorkshire Hunt Saboteurs have contacted solicitors to see what
further
action they can take against the police and the hunt, and have
initiated
complaints against West Yorkshire Police.
Lee Moon, spokesperson
for the Hunt Saboteurs Association stated: "Hunt
saboteurs
are sadly aware of how biased the police are where hunting is
concerned,
almost always taking the side of illegal hunters. Sometimes however
their
behaviour is so poor and unprofessional that it surprises even us. West
Yorkshire
police should be ashamed of how they have behaved and we feel sure
the
people of the area would be disgusted if they knew that their taxes were
being
spent on protecting violent, pro-hunt criminals."
North
West Hunt Saboteurs Association
PO Box 239
Manchester
M14 7XB
07960 038230
www.nwhsa.org.uk
info@nwhsa.org.uk
Blog - http://nwhsa.wordpress.com
Direct Action Against All Forms of bloodsports
Waac says - Words fail me on this one!!!!!
LETTER FROM CONSERVATIVE JONATHAN EVANS to ANTI-HUNT CAMPAIGNER
From:
jonathan@jonathanevans.co.uk
To: lorraine........................
Subject: RE: Regarding Foxhunting
Date: Mon,
16 Nov 2009 09:29:46 +0000
Dear Lorraine ?,
Thank you for your message in connection with the Hunting Act.
It is my understanding that the current situation is that if the
Conservative Party secures a majority at the next election, then Parliament will, at some time, be given the opportunity to
review the Hunting Act 2004, in which all Conservative MPs will have a free vote.
Let me begin by making it clear that I give a high priority to
animal welfare, and my record as a Member of the European Parliament underlines this. I was a leading member of the
eight year campaign to ban the import into the EU of dog and cat skins from China. I have also campaigned against the
annual seal cull in Canada, against the appalling treatment of animals transported for slaughter across continental Europe,
and I have taken a prominent role in trying to ban animal testing on primates, and strengthening the protection of animals
which are used in scientific experimentation. The campaigning group www.vote4animals.org.uk recently declared that as outgoing MEP in Wales I had achieved their maximum score by voting for animals on every occasion.
I have made no commitments in relation to the issue of the Hunting
Act 2004, and will not do so until I have seen and fully considered any proposed legislation. I certainly believe that
wanton cruelty to wild animals is offensive and should be the subject of legal sanctions, but it is also clear to me that
the farming community must be allowed to control the predatory actions of foxes, particularly in a country like Wales, where
sheep farmers annually suffer losses in the lambing season.
It is also important that legislation should be workable, and here there are questions which arise
concerning the structure of the current law. It is my understanding that since 2004, there have only been three successful
prosecutions, the last of which was more than two and a half years ago. The Association of Chief Police Officers has
highlighted that the law is ‘hard to enforce’, and a Chief Constable
has described the enforcement of the law as ‘ an acrimonious, time-consuming, frustrating
and ultimately fruitless activity’.
If the law is to be amended, I would want to see enforceable legislation which targets wanton cruelty
against wild animals rather more effectively than at present. I fear, however, that the current legislation owes rather
more to tribal party politics, in which party political activism drove the legislative process rather more than a detailed
analysis and consideration of the issues and their impact on animal welfare.
My views on this negative political activism have also been informed
by an analysis of those who have contacted me on this issue as against those who have lobbied me on the general animal welfare
issues on which I have campaigned for so many years. While it is true that a number of those with whom I have corresponded
on animal welfare have also expressed concerns about hunting, very few of those who express strong anti-hunting views have
ever been in contact with me on the wider animal welfare issues on which I have campaigned for so long.
It is also disappointing to note that so many of the
Labour Parliamentarians who voted through the current law have never otherwise expressed any views on animal welfare.
Thank you for writing to me on this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Evans
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Cardiff North
Waac says - As usual the Tories are terrified of saying what they
really mean, because they know a return to fox hunting is real vote loser. J Evans reply to Lorraine is typical
of all those pro-hunt candidate's who try to get their 'oh so caring image' over to the public by stating
how much they care about animals, only to spoil it by coming out with ridiculous remarks about the need to control foxes.
Foxes Mr Evans control their own numbers - and it shouldn't surprise you that since the ban on hunting, there has
been no increase in fox numbers. In fact even before the ban, leading huntsmen were warned to build artificial earths
to encourage foxes to breed, because of a shortage.
Foxes are always being blamed for lambs losses, when
the truth is bad husbandry, stray domestic dogs including farm dogs, and lambs born on bleak wintry hills with
no shelter is what takes its toll on these poor animals. I've seen many a dead or dying lamb up in the hills
- the dead having died from either starvation or hypothermia and the poor things have still been lying there days
later - no sign of predation either, apart from the odd one that's had it's eyes pecked at by crows. So
please Mr Evans, don't preach to us about compassion - where's your compassion for the many sheep left out on wet
freezing hills to give birth just so their 3 to 6 month old offspring can be loaded on to trucks, sent to market and
then to hell.
Lorraine asked not to be added to any mailing lists, so her surname and email address has
been deleted from the above. Judi
Welsh Assembly votes for north Pembrokeshire badger cull
4:50pm Saturday 14th November 2009
Comments (0) Have your say »
Assembly Members have voted overwhelmingly not to stop a controversial badger cull in Pembrokeshire.
A move to annul the order granting powers for the cull was defeated by 43 votes to nine and was welcomed by the FUW
as “a victory for common sense and democracy.”
The union’s TB spokesman Brian
Walters, added: “AMs have already supported the principle of badger culling more than once, and this vote ratifies the
cross-party support for that policy.”
Action group Pembrokeshire Against the Cull (PAC),
said the Assembly had “bowed to pressure from cull-obsessed farmers and vets”.
The
final decision on any cull will be made by rural affairs minister Elin Jones.
A cull would not
take place before the end of the closed season, which runs between winter and spring, and would take the form of trapping
and shooting in an area around north Pembrokeshire, to be known as the Intensive Action Pilot Area.
It
is understood a tender for the traps has already been prepared, with at least 3,000 traps needed. This could rise to 6,000.
During the Assembly debate, the minister said 12,000 cows were slaughtered due to bovine TB last
year, with a further 8,000 slaughtered in 2009.
The cost to the taxpayer in compensation had
reached £24m in the last financial year.
Lib Dem AM Lorraine Barrett, one of the two members
who brought the vote said: “Pembrokeshire will be known as the killing fields ... it’s not a cull, it’s
a slaughter.”
But Alun Davies, chairman of the rural affairs sub-committee, hit back: “If
you think that you can eradicate this disease in a painless way, you are, frankly, living in cloud-cuckoo-land. That is not
how you do it.
“Of course it is a difficult issue, but we are elected to take difficult
decisions.”
Dr Adrian Stallwood, spokesman for PAC, said 90% of Pembrokeshire respondents
to their survey opposed the slaughter.
“They also know that despite the scaremongering
from the likes of the NFU, badgers are not a health risk,” he said.
Meanwhile, moves for
a judicial review of the potential cull are continuing. The Badger Trust has sent a further “letter before action”
asking for a response from the Assembly by November 19th.
Click here: Welsh Assembly votes for north Pembrokeshire badger cull (From Western Telegraph)
WAAC says - AM Alun Davies is totally ignorant (like all those
other AM's who know absolutely nothing about badgers). These very stupid AM's steadfastly refuse to accept that
it's modern day filthy farming practice that is to blame - the science has already been proved that killing badgers
will make no difference whatsoever to BOVINE TB, in the long run.
Alun Davies, your ignorance was
blatantly obvious, when you sat sniggering through Lorraine Barretts annulment plea. I was disgusted!
What
kind of people do we have running Wales? We all say, LET'S GET RID OF ALL THOSE AM's WHO STAMP ON PUBLIC
CONCERNS AND INSTEAD PANDER TO THEIR FARMING FRIENDS.
Judi
NOTORIOUS FLINT & DENBIGH HUNT SUPPORTER, DAPHNE TILLY IN FINAL FOR COUNTRYSIDE
ALLIANCE AWARD.
When I heard about the Countryside Alliance awards, I thought
what's the betting that all the recipients will be pro-hunt supporters. Then when I heard that a Welsh
(lamb) producer from Henllan had been chosen as a finalist, I thought mmm... I wonder if it's old Mrs
Tilley, farmer and well known hunt supporter. Then when I checked up to see if she was Elwy Valley Welsh Lamb, I
was proved right! We'll have to wait and see who actually wins the award - but I'd bet any amount that she gets
it!
The Countryside Alliance would never give anyone an award that disapproves of hunting, even
though there are farmers out there who don't like fox hunters rampaging over their land.
This
so called 'countryside' Alliance don't give a damn about real rural issues - they're only interested in getting
their barbaric blood-sport back. Judi
YES! SHE GOT IT! Stinks doesn't it!
LETTERS FROM AROUND THE UK
Bath Chronicle 13.11.09 The Tories just can't be trusted over hunting - Tim Bonner, who claims that the Hunting Act has
failed and should be repealed (Chronicle Letters November 5), is a representative of the Countryside Alliance (CA). The
CA is a child of the British Field (read 'blood') Sports Society. It masquerades as a representative of rural dwellers
and, shamefully, is often accepted as such by the media and even the Government. In reality, it represents and cares
only about a narrow, sectional minority whose passion is killing wildlife for fun. ALAN KIRBY. Yet more propagandist nonsense is being spouted from the dictatorial and desperate hunting lobby. Tim Bonner of the
Countryside Alliance claims that the Hunting Act should be repealed. The Hunting Act was brought in to prevent unnecessary
suffering to wild mammals by making hunting with dogs illegal and contrary to Mr Bonner's nonsense there were actually
14 prosecutions in the first two years of the Act and many more since. The act is working, but not to his liking. I wonder
why. CHRIS EDWARDS FACCT (Fight Against Cameron Cruelty Threat), Chester (letters)
Worthing Herald 11.11.09 Cruel 'sport' should be banned - WHEN will the pro-fox hunt brigade really understand the
issues involved? Fox hunting is their "sport". Fox-hunting comprises 30 or more dogs larger than the fox,many horse
riders, and people to flush the fox from his hideout. The aim is to terrorise the fox during the chase so that he weakens
and then urge the hounds to kill him, great fun is had by all, shouting, blowing the horn and worst of all "blooding"
children to initiate them into the "sport". Name and address supplied (story)You wonder what is coming next?! Foxes ate my granny??!
Yet another story to try and demonise foxes.
Please send letters to:
Also submit comments below the
article.
(please
forward this widely)
Send messages of support for council stance to:
LABOUR'S KILLING FIELDS IN
WALES
Tell Welsh Labour what you think of their party in government in Wales.
E-Mail:
wales@new.labour.org.uk
PLEASE COPY YOUR E-MAIL TO SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WALES, PETER HAIN-THIS WILL INFORM HIM
OF THE DAMAGE DONE BY HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE ASSEMBLY- JUST MONTHS BEFORE A GENERAL ELECTION:
hainp@parliament.uk Vote in Welsh Assembly yesterday
----------------------------------------
The following members against the
badger slaughter
Barrett, Lorraine (Labour)
Black,
Peter (Liberal Dem)
Chapman, Christine (Labour)
James, Irene (Labour)
Jones, Ann (Labour)
Law, Trish (Independent)
Lewis, Huw (Labour)
Randerson, Jenny (Liberal Dem)
Watson, Joyce (Labour)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following members voted for slaughtering badgers
ROLL CALL OF SHAME
-SUPPORTERS
OF BARBARIC SLAUGHTER OF
WILDLIFE TO PLEASE
THE FARMING LOBBY
LABOUR/PLAID COALITION GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE
Andrews, Leighton -LABOUR- Deputy Minister for Regeneration
Asghar,
Mohammad -Plaid Cymru
Bates, Mick -LIBERAL DEM
Bourne, Nick- TORY
Burnham, Eleanor-LIBERAL DEM
Burns, Angela-TORY
Cairns, Alun-TORY
Cuthbert, Jeff-LABOUR
Davies, Alun-LABOUR
Davies, Andrew -LABOUR
Davies, Andrew R.T.-TORY
Davies, Jocelyn-Plaid Cymru
Davies, Paul- TORY
Evans, Nerys-Plaid Cymru
Franks, Chris-Plaid Cymru
German, Michael-LIBERAL
DEM
Gibbons, Brian-LABOUR
Graham, William-TORY
Gregory, Janice-
LABOUR
Griffiths, John-LABOUR
Griffiths, Lesley-LABOUR
Hart, Edwina-LABOUR
Hutt, Jane- LABOUR (MINISTER)
Isherwood, Mark- TORY
Jones, Carwyn-LABOUR
Jones, Elin-Plaid Cymru
Jones, Gareth-Plaid Cymru
Jones, Helen Mary-Plaid
Cymru
Jones, Ieuan Wyn-Plaid Cymru
Lloyd, David-Plaid Cymru
Lloyd,
Val-LABOUR
Melding, David-TORY
Millar, Darren-TORY
Morgan,
Jonathan-TORY
Morgan, Rhodri-LABOUR (FIRST MINISTER IN THE LABOUR/ PLAID GOVERNMENT)
Ramsay,
Nick-TORY
Ryder, Janet-Plaid Cymru
Sargeant, Carl-LABOUR
Thomas,
Gwenda-LABOUR
Thomas, Rhodri Glyn-Plaid Cymru
Williams, Brynle-TORY
Williams, Kirsty-LIB DEM
Wood, Leanne-Plaid Cymru
Some disturbing information about Brynle Williams AM (Assembly member for North
Wales.
51 Beef, Sheep and Horse breeder. Runs a 220-acre farm at Cilcain, North Wales·
Leading player in refinery blockade at Stanlow (9/00)·
Involved in protests at Holyhead against cheap beef imports (1996)·
Vice Chairman Farmers Union for Wales (Flintshire Branch)·
Aug 99 he and 44 other farmers protested at price of lamb by dumping
355 ewes at an RSPCA center in North Wales. Condemned by the RSPCA as utterly irresponsibleThis action came just hours after a further three calves were found dumped
in a telephone box in West Wales. 
WAAC says - The fact this man was chosen by a panel within the Welsh Assembly
to become an AM stinks. He should have been avoided like the plague. In our view, a more ruthless man would be hard
to find. Compassion for animals seems to be sadly lacking in this gross man - which is why it's extremely worrying
that he's been allowed by WAG to spout his evil (IGNORANT) bile on why he wants thousands of badgers dead.
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Badger cull flies in face of facts
WE’VE
said it before and we say it again - the National Assembly made a huge mistake in bowing to pressure from the farming lobby
by setting up a badger cull.
Yesterday the Assembly decided to go-ahead with the scheme, which
in our view is extremely short-sighted.
We, like many of readers, are disgusted by the short-sightedness
and sheer inhumanity of it.
Please tell us where the scientific evidence is which says a cull
is a good idea.
Government tests have proved that there is no substantial evidence that badgers
contaminate cattle with Bovine TB.
In fact it is thought just as likely that cattle contaminate
badgers.
In a ten-year research project carried out by the Independent Scientific Group more
than 10,000 badgers were slaughtered. It made no difference to control of the disease, but cost the taxpayer £34m.
There is no authoritative scientific research which can attribute Bovine TB to badgers.
Goodness
knows how many badgers are going to die based on shaky evidence and pressure from the farming community.
It’s an awful decision. It’s barbaric. And it’s simply wrong.
-----------
clare1984, Newport says...
1:55pm Thu 5 Nov 09
-------------------------------------------------
Waac says - Well done South Wales Argus for having the guts to tell the truth. AM's seem
to be more interested in power and money than appeasing public concerns, but they will rue the day they
snubbed the electorate. At the very least most will lose their jobs after the next election - that much is guaranteed! They
need to remember who put them in office and who can take them out. Judi
Bid to stop badger cull fails
Nov 4 2009 WalesOnline
An attempt to stop a controversial badger cull failed today.
Welsh Assembly members voted
in favour of plans to trap and shoot badgers as part of a campaign to eradicate tuberculosis in cattle.
A five-year
trial cull is planned by the Assembly’s governing coalition in north Pembrokeshire, west Wales, where bovine TB is endemic.
It
is due to start around April after boundaries for it are set, late enough in the year to avoid leaving young badgers without
a mother.
Farmers, who blame badgers for spreading a disease that has devastated herds, have welcomed the move.
But
the Badger Trust this week said it was seeking a judicial review of the decision.
A vote on whether to annul a ministerial
order underpinning the cull was defeated nine votes to 43.
During a debate in Cardiff Bay, rural affairs minister Elin
Jones said 12,000 cows were slaughtered last year because of TB, compared with 7,000 in 1997. The bill for compensating Wales’s
farmers has risen from £1.8 million to £24 million since 2000.
She said: “Both Government-led culling
and vaccination of badgers are appropriate strategies to pursue the eradication of bovine TB in Wales, which is why this order
confers powers to carry out both.
“Culling removes infection through the removal of infected animals, whilst vaccination
protects uninfected animals from becoming infected.
“So each will be necessary to pursue the eradication of bovine
TB in Wales.”
She added that other measures were planned to help rid Wales of bovine TB, including improvements
in moving infected animals from farms.
Labour AM Lorraine Barrett, who tabled the vote with Liberal Democrat Peter Black,
called on the Assembly Government to concentrate solely on vaccinating animals.
She said: “I have always been
a loyal member of my party and of this government here in the Assembly, but I just couldn’t stand by and let this order
go through without a last minute attempt to stop it.
“I don’t believe that killing badgers as a means of
tackling this problem is scientifically or morally justified.
“Pembrokeshire will be known as the killing fields.
It’s not a cull – it’s a slaughter.”
She read out letters from opponents of the cull in the
county and said there was evidence that intensive farming and bad animal husbandry caused disease.
Supporting the cull,
Tory rural affairs spokesman Brynle Williams said: “Too many people are very emotive about this and don’t realise
that TB crosses to people.
“I am not going to argue the niceties of whether the cow gave it to the badger or the
badger gave it to the cow.
“We have tried with cattle control, we have tried with removing cattle. The one fact
that hasn’t been addressed is the wildlife issue. We have to address this holistically.”
National Farmers’
Union Cymru president Dai Davies said: “Today’s motion to annul the order would have deprived the Assembly Government
of the scope to pursue, alongside stringent cattle control measures, a badger control strategy.
“In the same way
as it would be irresponsible to leave diseased cattle to continue to spread the disease, we have also to contain and eradicate
TB in the badger population.
“Only then will we be able to fulfil our aspiration of a cattle and wildlife population
free of disease and living in harmony.”
Waac says - We're disgusted with Lesley Griffiths for voting in favour
of a cull. Wales Against Animal Cruelty will never lend this AM a hand again. Up until now we've leafleted
in Wrexham in support of Labour's stance on the hunting issue which could benefit Ms Griffiths, but she's chosen
to follow the party line and vote in favour of a cull which ensures she keeps her well paid job. She could have
helped to stop a disastrous and cruel killing programme, but instead she betrayed the animals, she's betrayed us and
she's betrayed her constituents. We're all upset and very angry!
What this
Senedd has done is make a shameful and shabby deal with the Welsh farming lobby and it will NEVER BE FORGIVEN
or FORGOTTEN.
Vaccination constitutes a more humane and appropriate alternative and even
though vaccinations are due to be available in May 2010, these disgusting AM's led by ignorant Elin Jones are
still hell bent on killing badgers. No wonder the farming lobby gave her an award for the cull plan - it was to
ensure she didn't renege on the deal. Farmers are only interested in money and will not accept that it's their own
filthy farming practices that are at the root of bTB. By killing badgers, they're drawing attention away from the real
cause! The question now is - how do we get rid of this expensive Welsh FARMING Government
that only cares about keeping their own happy? After all, the ISG report - the most thorough, wide-ranging scientific
study of bovine TB carried out in the UK and cost the lives of 11,000 badgers - concluded that “badger
culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain”.
Another very important fact being left out is that farming
is still heavily subsidised and farmers would go to the wall without these 'rich' pickings - yet meat
and dairy are not necessary anymore and indeed, contribute to ill health. No wonder the Welsh Assemby
is packed with so called hard working 'farming' AM's -they're looking out for their own interests and
boy do they do well! So you might ask, when do they find time to farm the land?
We say let's
just get rid of the Welsh Assembly and get some democracy back, because being led by thick farmers can
only lead to disaster for Wales.The Welsh Assembly will live to
regret their decision to slaughter thousands of badgers (most of which will be disease free when cruelly killed). Elin Jones,
and (undemocratically elected) Brynle Williams and their cohorts will go down in infamy for their part in the cruel trapping
and killing of badgers. Plus what's to stop unscrupulous farmers from getting their badger baiter mates in to
take away trapped badgers to be used for illegal badger/dog fights in pits?
The whole political decision
to kill these gentle animals stinks, and will show the Welsh up as ignorant, nasty and cruel, to the rest of the world.
I hope the Welsh public will take a stand and let their pro-cull AM's know that they won't
be voting them back in, come election time. Judi
Message to
her constituents from Lesley Griffths AM
Further to previous correspondence regarding your opposition
to the bovine Tb Eradication Order, you will be aware that the vote was passed in 2008 and that I voted against the Order.
On the 4th November, a Motion to annul the Order was debated in the Senedd.
However, it is extremely important to emphasise that this was NOT a vote on the principle of a cull, it was a vote
on the legislation to allow the Welsh Assembly Government to manage a planned, targeted, regulated, humane badger cull.
If the Motion had been passed, Elin Jones, AM, the Minister for Rural Affairs, would have been able to issue individual
licenses to farmers to allow them to cull badgers. I did not want to see this happen as I believe it would
open the door to excessive cruelty and uncontrolled killing.
I spoke
during the debate, reiterating my opposition to the cull due to my belief that there is not enough scientific evidence to
justify such a drastic step. However, in light of the legislation being passed last year, I believe animal
welfare issues are now of vital importance and I, therefore, voted against the Motion yesterday so as to ensure that the pilot
cull in Pembrokeshire is carried out as humanely as possible.
I also asked the Minister to
ensure Assembly Members are kept fully informed and that she is open and transparent with Members. I also
reiterated my request to her that if this policy is proven to be the wrong one, she will pledge to explore different ways
of eradicating bTb.
I hope this explains my position to
you but if you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Ends
I'm curious to know who the operatives (hired hitmen) will be that are licenced to carry out the killing?
Will they be members of a gun club (usually full of yobs) or hunts (equally full of cold blooded people)?
Judi
Message from Brian
May....
It's official.
Wales is, after all, to instigate a wholesale slaughter of its badgers.
This is utterly shameful ... and worse ... bad science, and bad, misguided,
misled people.
A triumph for the
ignorant and the inhuman.
I am
sick to my stomach.
Just for the
sake of information ... the announcement that Bovine TB can transfer to humans is a bare-faced lie. There has been no recorded
instance of this happening. The fact that BOVINE TB has been allowed to infect innocent wild creatures is disgraceful enough
(notice that it is not called "Badger TB"?) - but instigating the murder of these native creatures when all the
reliable scientific evidence has shown that it will not work (even if it were ethical, which it is not) is nothing less than
despicable. Shame on you, members of the Welsh Assembly .. you were bullied into it by ignorant and greedy farmers, who wanted
a scapegoat for the disaster they themselves have caused. Eternal shame on you.
Brian
(See Copyright Note)
© brianmay.com
5th November 2009 Newsdesk: 7,000
Irish badgers exterminated on the end of a wire noose.
Badgerwatch (Ireland) is calling on Environment Minister,
Mr. John Gormley, for an immediate halt to the killing of badgers for their alleged role in the spread of bovine TB. Latest figures released by the Department
of Agriculture (DAFF) shows that almost 7,000 badgers were slaughtered by Department trappers in 2008. Ironically, close on 30,000 ’reactor’
cattle failed to pass the TB skin test for the same period indicating a rise in TB levels over the previous six
years.
In the last decade more than 50,000 badgers have been killed
by DAFF in what has been described as "Slaughter masquerading as Science".
Bernie Barrett, National Co-ordinator,
Badgerwatch (Ireland) expressed horror at these latest figures. She said that “This appalling slaughter of almost 7,000
badgers is simple unacceptable. It is a nothing less then a state approved brutal pogrom against badgers.” Badgerwatch (Ireland) is calling on Minister Gormley,
whose own Department issues the licence to snare and kill badgers, to honour his commitment to the animal. Failure to act will result in further slaughter
and serious decimation of the
badger population already under threat from other sources.
End Further
Information:
Bernadette Barrett, National Co-ordinator Badgerwatch (Ireland)
T: 051-373876
MB: 087-9394096barrettb@gofree.indigo.ie W: www.badgerwatch.ie Information:Badgerwatch
(Ireland) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to Badgers
We are actively involved in Badger conservation and badger
welfare issues.
Hunt supporters in new clash with Tories over repeal of ban
Hunt supporters have clashed
with the Tory party over its plans for the repeal of the controversial hunting ban.
By Melissa Kite, Deputy Political Editor
Published: 9:40PM BST 10 Oct 2009
Countryside campaigners have warned of a “firestorm”
if the Conservatives fail to force through a flagship government bill to overthrow the controversial ban.
They fear that David Cameron is close to reneging on a promise he made last year to throw the full weight of a future
Tory Government behind the repeal the Hunting Act which makes it illegal to hunt
with dogs
.
Senior
Tory figures have told The Sunday Telegraph that the major change in party policy is under active consideration by
the shadow cabinet. They fear that a new Conservative government could find itself bogged down in parliament if it tried to
force through the legislation.
But the suggestion of a change in policy has caused deep concern
among countryside and hunting campaigners.
One leading hunt supporter said: “There will
be a firestorm if it is not a government bill.”
Hunt supporters have been pouring into
marginal seats to help Conservative candidates campaign. Many could withdraw their support if they do not believe the Conservative
leader is fully committed to a bill that will work.
When an aide of Mr Cameron hinted to journalists
last year that hunting would not be a priority, several major donors threatened to withdraw millions of pounds of party funding.
The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that the shadow cabinet is considering using a private member’s
bill instead of a government bill, to overthrow the ban.
Campaigners fear that the bill could
be vulnerable to wrecking amendments from anti-hunt campaigners and could run out of time.
The
shadow cabinet member in charge of hunting last night confirmed that the party was considering the move. Nick Herbert, the
shadow environment secretary, said: “We are working up various options about how we will do repeal.
“We will give time for a vote on repeal but we have also said we don’t intend to waste parliamentary
time on this. We haven’t said what form repeal would take in terms of a bill.”
He
added: “I’m aware of the distinction between a private member’s bill and a government bill but I don’t
think it is sensible to rule out options.”
Mr Herbert said it was unlikely that the manifesto
would spell out how the bill would be piloted and would simply repeat the pledge to offer MPs “a free vote”.
One frontbencher involved in negotiations over planned Tory legislation said: “It’s better if this is
a private member’s bill.” The senior MP said the party might also take hare coursing out of the repeal bill so
that the practice of chasing a hare with dogs purely for sport, which is seen as more controversial than foxhunting, remained
illegal.
Dropping a Government bill would break a promise Mr Cameron made in February last year.
He said: “We have a very clear position on this. There will be a free vote, and if there is a vote to repeal the hunting
ban there will be a government bill in government time,” he said.
A spokesman for the Countryside
Alliance said: “The commitment to a free vote has been clear since the last Conservative manifesto and David Cameron
himself has talked about that leading to a government bill in government time. We think this is the most open and sensible
route for getting rid of what everyone accepts is a ridiculously bad piece of legislation and any other option is likely only
to complicate what should be a straightforward process.”
WAAC says - The Countryside
Alliance (pro-hunt campaigners) have at last shown their true colours (most of us already knew what a deeply
nasty bunch they are) and now we have their 'desperation' in print. They just can't wait to get back
to legally torturing and killing animals for fun again. These pro-hunt monsters should never be allowed to get their EVIL
sport back.
Message from Chris Gale - I actually don't believe a word of this report by the
Telegraph - I think it's a put up story to make voters think Cameron won't destroy the ban or that
his heart isn't really in it when the opposite is probably true. This story makes the Tory leader look
mildly compassionate, while the hunters take the blame. Rubbish, they're all in it together, he just wants to make
himself look shiny.
WAAC says - If political figures are now backing a cull, then they obviously don't care about
public condemnation - they just want to pander to the farmers. And let's face it, bTB is very profitable to farmers
and vets. The only ones suffering will be the badgers, the cattle and the tax payers.
LETTER TO PRO-HUNT
SUPPORTER ADDISON
I've sent the following reply to Addison's original letter for POWA:-
Dear Sir,
The unnamed 'academic' source who Mr.Addison ['Fox hunts not unnatural',Letters,
3-10] quotes is completely wrong. Wolves rarely play any significant role in restricting fox populations where they
co-habit now - so why would we think they ever did so in the UK? True, they will occasionally kill foxes
they come across, but they do not hunt them in the way they pursue large herbivores - let alone unleash the
equivalent of a military operation against them, as organised fox hunts do.
This 'sport' originated as a gentlemen's recreation
in the 18th century, being much more about the harum-scarum of the gallop than the kill. Foxes escaping underground were
generally 'given best'. It had nothing much to do with 'management' or 'control' of
an alleged pest - nor, in truth, does it now.
As we've moved into more civilised, enlightened and democratic times hunters have
had to increasingly demonise the fox, largely by grossly exaggerating its predations on livestock, and to purport to
be 'pest-controllers', in order to try to justify their 'sport'. This has also meant teaming up with thuggish
terrier-men whose primary interest is in fox-baiting at dig-outs and killing.
Now, the hunters, sickeningly, even try to persuade
us they benefit foxes by kindly culling the sick and injured. In fact, hunts are really only interested in chasing fit
foxes that will give good and prolonged 'sport', taking elaborate measures such as hole-blocking to ensure they can
be kept running for anything up to an hour and a half.
The ability of 'Humanity Dick' to, so long ago, campaign boldly against
cruelty to domestic and captive animals whilst thinking that his prolonged chasing, sometimes killing, of a fox
was OK is surely based in the deep-rooted proprietarian bent of the times, particularly strong amongst the upper
classes. Not being 'property', wild animals were held to evoke no moral obligations in humans.
Most of us have moved
on from this limited and unempathic mindset. But the fact that the bloodsports lobby successfully prevented any
legislation against cruelty to wild mammals until just thirteen years ago, and their vigorous, even hysterical,
resistance against the long-overdue hunt ban, tells us they have not progressed.
It also suggests how arrogant,
selfish and powerful they still are: as does their ruthless exploitation of loopholes in the Act and readiness to flout the
law. Cameron, a hunter himself, plans to reward them by repeal, when what the public wants is a ban that works. Strengthen
the Hunting Act.
yours faithfully,
Alan Kirby, M.Sc
pp.
Protect Our Wild Animals [POWA]
Horse & Hound, ridiculous and desperate supporters of animal abuse, slur anti-hunt monitors
I find it incredible that Horse and Hound can get away with defamatory remarks against
hunt monitors Penny Little and Peter Bunce.
These people are decent and compassionate, yet they've
been painted as thugs by this disgusting rag.
It's Penny Little and her colleagues in POWA who are the
ones being targetted by hunt thugs - it's they who should be protected by the law. Simply gathering evidence of illegal
hunting does not constitute an crime. But if people will take their young to watch an animal ripped apart, then how can a
monitor avoid getting these kids in the picture.
Penny and Peter like other monitors are there
to try to gather evidence of illegal hunting, which let's face it, isn't difficult given the fact most Hunts
throughout the UK are operating as though the ban was never brought in.
Horse and Hound with its glossy cover might
appear to have a wholesome image to your (ignorant) average citizen, but to those of us campaigning
to end animal misery, it exudes a nastiness that's blatantly obvious! Like slime it creeps in every time
someone campaigns against hunting.
To me, Horse and Hound are the most grotesque magazine on the market, which makes
me wonder at the kind of people attracted to it?
Presumably the same kind that take their kids to a hunt, which
let's face it, must desensitize them to animal suffering. But aside from my own personal point of view,
it really is time H&H stopped twisting their words (to make hunt monitors appear like thugs) and
put the real villains in the frame - see photo below.
We on the front line are well aware of the brutality metered
out towards animals by hunts, and I doubt there's a single hunt monitor who hasn't been either attacked
or threatened by hunt supporters - those ugly brutes with no compassion.
I myself received (telephone)
death threats from hunt supporters a few years ago. They wanted me to back off, but I made their threats known to
the press that I wouldn't be intimidated by them, nor would I stop trying to achieve peace in the countryside.
I look forward to the day when this gruesome so called magazine goes bust. Judi
HUNT SUPPORTING THUGS, OUT TO INTIMIDATE ANYONE GETTING IN THEIR WAY OF THEIR BARBARIC
BLOOD-SPORT.
Hunts warned to avoid conflict with monitors
Horse & Hound
10 October, 2009
UK hunts are being warned
to avoid confrontations with antis this season after concerns that "hunt monitors" are trying to bait followers.
In a letter sent to packs last month, Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) chairman Stephen Lambert
said: "Their [the monitors'] prime objective is, without doubt, to inflame our supporters and trigger a serious public
order incident in which hunting people will be shown as the aggressors."
For the first time since November 2005, no hunt is facing prosecution under the Hunting Act, and repeal looks increasingly
possible.
Antis, therefore, are exploring other ways to win back
the support they have lost since the Act came into force, says the MFHA.
The Heythrop and Vale of Aylesbury with Garth and South Berks (VAGSB) has experienced an increase in activity by
monitors, including Protect Our Wild Animals (POWA) members Penny Little and Peter Bunce, in the past few weeks.
Guy Portwin, senior master of the VAGSB, said: "The hunt has been targeted by local
monitors about six times so far this season. Several complaints have been made to police by the hunt, including concerning
the filming of children.
"We have stressed to followers the
need for restraint, no matter how provoked anyone feels, and are pleased to report that followers are filming the monitors,
making complaints to the police and avoiding interaction."
The
Countryside Alliance (CA) has written to the chief constables of Thames Valley Police and Gloucestershire Police pointing
out the antis are pursuing a clear strategy
of incitement.
Mr Lambert told H&H: "The antis of this world are desperate. They lost the moral and wildlife management
arguments ages ago. Now they see that their only hope of wrecking repeal is to provoke a disastrous public order incident
that they will try to pin on the hunting world.
"I am optimistic that the police are now
beginning to grasp the picture and will play their part as much as they can to ensure that the next few months pass without
incident."
WAAC says - H & H really take the biscuit with this
report! They quoted Mr Lambert's outrageous claims accusing monitors of incitement.
I knew the C/A were
desperate, but when they wrote to Chief Constables with no evidence whatsoever to say that monitors are
trying to antagonise hunt supporters, I nearly choked on my porridge. Let's be honest, it doesn't take much
to antagonise hunt supporters because they're all about aggression. And dare I say, most, if not all are unfeeling
people with no respect for their hapless prey, so what hope those of us trying to gather evidence of illegal cruelty? If
you disagree with them, you stand a good chance of being given a good hiding - and they won't discriminate against
females either, violence is after all, what they're good at!
But the terrible cruelty metered out
to foxes is well known to anyone with an ounce of intelligence - which is why this disgusting blood-sport was banned
in the first place. And if hunts have nothing to hide, then why are they so desperate to remove anti-hunt monitors
from seeing their gruesome fun. The C/A even had the cheek to claim that anti's have lost the
moral and wildlife management arguments. Are these idiots for real! Hunts don't manage wildlife, they destroy it! And
once their dirty little secret was out about artificial earths (to encourage foxes to breed) they tried to turn it round
by calling it conservation. As for their moral claim, since when was being cruel to an animal, moral????
If
I hadn't read this article myself, I would never have believed it. Judi
Message from Penny Little
Thank you to everyone who send me kind messages
after my shock the night before last.� Reading these�
makes me feel proud of the kind and decent people I work alongside in this campaign.
A picture enclosed for your information.
The same night as my tyres were slashed, an anti-hunt chap in a nearby village (***** *****) had the field gate (padlock)
cut through and the gate opened so his two horses could have wandered onto the road and there could have been a hideous accident.� Luckily the horses stayed in their field.�
� The morning after these two attacks the **** ** ******** hunt were cubbing in Aston Rowant.� All matters are with the police.
Penny
PS: �Don't worry - there is no way I shall let this
incident intimidate me out of campaigning - in fact the very opposite.
Cowardly hunt supporter attacks Penny's car during the night.
