Typical profile & behaviour of a badger baiter:

• Own vans / 4-wheel drive vehicle.
  (Suitable for off-road driving)

• Dog cages in the back of vehicles.  Many will be home-made cages.

• Own either long-legged dogs such as lurchers and/or small terrier dogs.  (Small terriers are sent down setts to locate and hold badgers at bay, whilst the long-legged dogs fight the badgers once they have been dug out)

• The dogs live outside in kennels, either at the owner’s home or in a separate garage or field.
  (It is becoming increasing common to house dogs away from the baiter's home, in case of a police raid)

• Baiters will leave their homes early in the morning and arrive home sometime in the afternoon.  Or, they will leave later in the evening to go lamping.

• Their vehicle will be loaded with dogs, spades, and possibly tracking devices.
  (These are attached to the terriers so they can be easily located when holding the badger at bay in the sett)

• If they leave at night, they will have large lamps with them as well.  Maybe attached to vehicle.
  (To stun the badgers in the dark)

• Dogs will often return with nasty injuries on their faces and rear ends, caused by fighting with badgers.  More often than not they will be treated at home or killed (if injury is too severe), as visiting a vet would expose the baiter’s illegal activities.

• A badger baiter’s age can be anything from a teenager and upwards.

• No typical characteristics – can be a perfectly ordinary and amenable member of society to someone who is intimidating and threatening.
  
  

Useful information:

• Age
• Build
• Clothing
• Dog descriptions
• Ethnic appearance
• Facial features
• Gender
• Intonation or accent
• Kit used
• Licence plate numbers
• Make, model and colour of vehicles
• Number of people

IMPORTANT: MAKE NOTE OF YOUR CRIMESTOPPERS REFERENCE NUMBER for future phone calls relating to this issue.

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