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EDITORIAL COMMENT: Badger cull is barbaric

9:47am Monday 8th February 2010 in Gwent news By South Wales Argus

WE fully support the new group set up which opposes the Assembly’s barbaric badger cull.

Save the Badger says it presents a united front against a "cruel" cull to slaughter thousands of animals.

Ministers have said bovine TB is "out of control and unsustainable".

That’s something we strongly dispute.

We have said before that we believe the Assembly decision to go ahead with a cull in West Wales short sighted and inhumane.

Given that Assembly officials say the intended aim is to be to reduce the badger population "as far as we can" over the next five years, it also seems to us to be completely over the top.

Badgers are to be first trapped and then shot in a pilot area of around 180 square miles in north Pembrokeshire and neighbouring parts of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.

A map of the area will not be published but it will take in 350 cattle farmers.

We have yet to see any scientific evidence that supports this decision.

Countless badgers will be killed in what is a severely flawed policy.

Show us the proper evidence which says killing badgers will stop the spread of bovine TB.

Only then can we say this is the right approach.

Until that evidence is forthcoming we remain of the opinion this is a senseless, barbaric act that is of no benefit to anyone and the Assembly has pandered to the views of the farming community without basing its decision on any scientific fact.

Comments(8)

independent voter says...
10:41am Mon 8 Feb 10

Alarm bells ring-out with Social Services and Gwent Police when an individual displays a cowardly tendency to focus their sustained viscious assaults and attacks on only the most weak and vunerable in society Our Pensioners - Disabled - Children -and Animals. Experts at Profiling states that this behaviour can lead to further, more violent crimes being committed including Murder. Yet The Welsh Assembly seem to be displaying the same cowardice. They seem to be a threat to us all !!!

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NigelNewInn says...
11:04am Mon 8 Feb 10

Why do most evidence point to the fact that a cull has little effect. It has already been proven that bovine TB is due in a large part to intensive farming methods. Organically raised herds are far more resistant to TB than herds pumped full of antibiotics. The farming community spread TB around the country after foot and mouth restrictions were lifted. Bovine TB is now present in areas that were clear due to farmers moving affected animals around the country. While badgers can pass on Bovine TB to cattle, the same is true of cattle infecting badgers. Seems like when the NFU say jump Elin |Jones asks "How high".

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independent voter says...
11:41am Mon 8 Feb 10

"The Farming Community" My Family own three farms - one is situated in the Pilot Area of Pembrokeshire - the other Two are in Gwent. We only have Chickens and Quail (free-range) and Geese. We can stay-up for many hours to seek a glimpse of Natures beautiful Wildlife - The Barn Owls - Foxes and their Cubs - Badgers - Birds of Prey - Rabbits - all of which live along side us. Blowing a hole into a Badgers Head is Barbaric and inhumane. Nature has and always will balance itself out. If you interfere with nature by playing God you will affect the survival of other species and that could be disastrous in the long-term.

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Owain Vaughan says...
1:52pm Mon 8 Feb 10

Pembrokeshire and Gwent mentioned in the same sentence? Now I'm confused!

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independent voter says...
3:10pm Mon 8 Feb 10

We are talking about Badgers not Borders. Still confused ?

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Owain Vaughan says...
8:50am Tue 9 Feb 10

Yes I am. You seem to be mixing up two different things. It's either "Dyfed and Gwent" or "Pembrokeshire and Monmouthshire". Mixing the two up makes no sense.

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westsi1983 says...
9:31pm Tue 9 Feb 10

It would help if you weren't piping off about a county whose boundaries do not extend to cover "Newport". THe confusion is entirely of your own making by perpetuating this pointless debate about county names.

Badger Culling to cure bovine TB is a thoroughly pointless exercise! Of course, how stupid of me!! I forgot, the farmers were robbed of one blood sport, so they persuade the government to license another!! Demonstrates the utter stupidity of politicians!

Remember to vote for your local independent on May 6th!! Out with the Parties and in with PEOPLE politics!!

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hetwend says...
2:46pm Fri 12 Feb 10

Bless you, South Wales Argus. Thank you for your stand on this issue. I'm not Welsh, but I'm passionate about badgers and the WAG's cull plans break my heart. A cull would be so wrong, morally, scientifically and environmentally. Whilst this awful threat hangs over badgers, I am applying my own economic sanctions to Welsh goods and services - I certainly would not buy anything Welsh that has come from the dairy trade in particular. Once this thing is over, I look forward to enjoying Welsh cheese, butter and yogurt again - and even visiting.

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