Badgers and Badger Baiting
Badgers are protected by general wildlife laws and their own specific
act.
The Protection of Badgers Act, 1992. Under this act
it is illegal to take badgers from the wild or to interfere with badger
setts without a license.
The law concerning badgers has greatly increased their protection. When
caught digging a sett the onus is now on the defendants to prove their
innocence, rather than the prosecution having to prove their guilt.
Previously many offenders were able to claim that they were digging for
foxes or rabbits (which are both still legal activities) and that they
didn't know that they were digging at a badger sett.
Now defendants have to prove that they were not digging for badgers
which is a more difficult task. Nevertheless, the digging of badgers
continues to be a serious problem.
Badgers are dug from their setts and baited; cubs are left abandoned
and die of hyperthermia or starvation. The badgers are either killed by
the dogs, or are shot or stabbed to death. In some cases, badgers are
handicapped by breaking a leg, or the jaw, before the dogs are
loosed on them.
A badger is a stong, thick set animal. In the baiting pit it will be terrified and fighting for its life. The dogs often receive horrific injuries as well. Because badger baiting is illegal, these injuries are rarely treated. Some offenders boast of the injuries, which they call "medals", that their dog has received. This can be the first indication of illegal activity. If you hear anything like this, please take notes.
Please talk to us, it can be stopped
