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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 19th April 2013
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Team Badger in talks
Cull opposers mobilise support at meeting

Campaigners from Team Badger are set to meet on Saturday, April 22 to speak against the badger cull plans.

Among those speaking at the event, which will be held at Somerset's Taunton Conference Centre, will be rockstar and RSPCA vice-president Brian May.

Other speakers include Gavin Grant, RSPCA chief executive, Joe Duckworth, chief executive of League Against Cruel Sports and Steve Jones, a retired dairy farmer who led the "Not in this farm's name" campaign.

The meeting is planned to mobilise support in opposition of the impending pilot badger cull, due to begin in Gloucestershire and Somerset within eight weeks.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has organised the cull in an effort to help eradicate the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

However, opposition surrounds both scientific and welfare reasons, according to the RSCPA.

While the charity says it sympathises with farmers who are dealing with the devastating disease, it believes a cull will do little to help eradicate bTB in cattle – and could even make it worse.

RSPCA is therefore willing to work with the farming community to "deliver more effective alternatives".

"We urge anyone who wants to help save the badger and help cattle to join us at this meeting," said Mr Grant.

"As plans stand, thousands of badgers will die – virtually eliminating them from large areas of the countryside. Yet the problems of bTB will not be solved."

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.