Badger Campaign

 A strong case exists for making Badger Crimes notifiable offences

2010

The new Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government brings hope for our badger campaign after the Labour government flatly refused to make badger crime notifiable to the Home Office.

As a result of the Home Office revamp, we have rekindled our campaign by sending a survey to every Police Force within the UK containing various questions about wildlife crime and Wildlife Crime Officers. Once the surveys are completed and analysed, we will work to gain support from cross-party MPs and write to the new Home Secretary with our concerns.

Naturewatch hopes this government will show more concern for the tens of thousands of badgers that are brutally baited and tortured every year.

2009

In view of the Home Office’s refusal to make badger crime a notifiable offence, Naturewatch has decided to lay the badger campaign dormant until the summer of 2010.  The general election will provide a golden opportunity to highlight how the Labour government has failed to honour its promises in relation to animal welfare – the very promises that facilitated them in gaining their power in 1997. 

2008

Following multiple attempts to contact Vernon Coaker earlier in the year (all of which were ignored), Naturewatch asked its supporters to write to the Home Office expressing their concerns with regard to the increase of badger crime in the UK and urge the Home Office to make badger cruelty a notifiable offence.  As a result, the Home Office received thousands of letters.

In response, despite their reluctance to bring specific requests into effect, they did offer hope stating “the government fully shares your abhorrence of the cruel and barbaric practice of badger baiting, and wishes to ensure that appropriate action is taken to reduce its incidence and increase its detection.”

2007

On 29th October Naturewatch and Crimestoppers joined forces to tackle the issue of badger baiting / digging in the Cynon Valley in South Wales.  As a result Crimestoppers has received a fantastic amount of good quality calls relating to badger crime, which the South Wales Police and National Wildlife Crime Intelligence Unit are currently investigating. More...

Early next year Naturewatch will meet with the Home Office Minister to discuss the results of the campaign, with the aim of making badger crime a notifiable offence, thereby ensuring it receives the police priority and resources it deserves.

A mini website was launched at the time of the 2007 Cynon Valley Campaign. Its purpose was to ensure everyone had access to vital information, such as the profile of a typical badger baiter and how people could help the campaign. To go to the web site, please click here.  

2007 Campaign’s media support:

• Martin Thomas, Crimestoppers, launched a Crimestoppers appeal on ITV on Sunday 29th October 2007.
• BBC Radio Wales discussed our campaign on the Richard Evans show on 1st November 2007, including interviews and a phone in with Sgt Ian Guildford and the RSPCA’s Ian Briggs.
• BBC Wales support the badger campaign, by publishing 2 on-line articles: article 1 and article 2.
• The Cynon Valley Leader (local newspaper) also reported our story, making front page news! Click here to read.
• In February 2008 our campaign is still being reported upon in the local newspaper. Click here to read.

2006

Early Day Motion - Wildlife Crime not given sufficient priority. Read the briefing sent to MPs

2005

Government response to the Select Committee's Wildlife Crime Report fails wildlife. (March)

Naturewatch's Survey to Police Wildlife Crime Officers.

2004

Meeting with DEFRA to discuss the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (April)

Wildlife Crime Report Not pie in the sky! Government Select Committee, Environmental Crime, effectively endorses all our recommendations (September)

2003

Badger Campaign Briefing Document prepared for Naturewatch's meeting with the Home Office (Sept.) regarding making Badger Digging / Baiting a notifiable offence.[pdf]

1996

Launch of Badger Project in West Wales

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Celebrities pledge their support to help badgers.
  
  
• Badger Crime Image Gallery - WARNING, this section contains images that may shock. If the law on badger protection was working, they would never have been taken. Please view with caution.
  
  
• The reality of Badger Crime - and why current legislation is not protecting badgers.
  
  
• What is Badger Crime? Facts and information about Badger Cruelty
  
  
• What is Wildlife Crime? [pdf]
  
  
• How you can help badgers
  
  
• Links and References