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BVA "will not support" badger cull challenge
badger
The Badger Trust called on the BVA to support its legal challenge of the culls.

Badger Trust's legal challenge of the culls is not supported by BVA

The BVA has said it will not support the Badger Trust in its recent legal challenge of the badger culls.

This week the Badger Trust announced it had applied for a judicial review at the High Court to challenge the legality of the culls.

BVA says it is concerned that its policy on the culls has been misrepresented in the Badger Trust's news release this week.

The association says it has not withdrawn its support for the culls as part of the overall strategy to eradicate bovine TB. Instead it says it can only support further culling in the pilot areas if certain conditions are met.

Following last year's pilot culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire, controlled shooting of badgers is set to begin again this year.

Badger Trust CEO Dominic Dyer claims Defra has "unlawfully" decided to continue culling in Somerset and Gloucestershire without an independent panel to monitor the operations.

An independent expert panel (IEP) monitoring last year's culls recently revealed they failed on both humaneness and effectiveness.

Mr Dyer said is it "not acceptable" for Defra's secretary of state Owen Paterson to "push aside the concerns" of the IEP and BVA and continue culling in the pilot areas without independent monitoring. He called on the BVA to support its legal challenge.

However, BVA president Robin Hargreaves has since written to the trust to clarify it will not be supporting the legal challenge.

A policy agreed on April 16 states that the BVA could only support further culling using controlled shooting methods if steps were taken to improve the humaneness and effectiveness of the culls. It also insists on a non-governmental body to monitor the culls.

BVA says it has been in dialogue with Defra since this policy was agreed and discussions are still ongoing.

Until BVA Council has received Defra's plan and considered it in full, the association says it will not be taking a further position.



BVA policy on badger culling: http://www.bva.co.uk/public/documents/BVA-badger-culling-policy-position-2014.pdf

Badger Trust's legal challenge: http://www.nfbg.org.uk/_Attachments/Resources/1083_S4.pdf

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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. 

Click here for more...
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.