Activists launch anti-badger cull book campaign

Animal welfare activists have used a fundraising website to generate enough money to send every MP a book calling for an end to badger culling.

Campaigner and book publisher Martin Hickman started the JustGiving crowdfunding effort ahead of a parliamentary debate on badger culling later this month.

Almost £4,000 was raised in seven days – enough to send all 650 MPs their own copy of Badgered to Death – a book written by Dominic Dyer of the Badger Trust conservation group.

It comes after Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom confirmed her intention to roll out badger culls against bovine TB to more areas this year.

Mr Hickman said: “We want to stiffen political opposition to her plan by sending every MP a copy of Dominic Dyer’s book.”

See also: Defra plans long-term badger cull against bovine TB

More than 290 people responded to the fundraising request – a response described by Mr Hickman as gratifying, generous and fast.

However, he acknowledged he couldn’t force MPs to read the book after it had been sent to them.

The forthcoming parliamentary debate was triggered by more than 100,000 people signing a government e-petition demanding an end to the badger cull.

Started by naturalist Simon King, the petition argued that cull was “against scientific advice” and “tens of thousands of healthy badgers could be killed”.

An NFU spokesman said: “Given Mr Dyer’s well-known public stance on the badger cull, his book – which contained no new information or revelations even when it was originally published – can hardly be viewed as an objective look at the science and politics behind the government’s TB eradication strategy.

“It is also interesting to note that the Just Giving funding campaign to fund what we consider to be nothing more than a PR stunt was launched by the founder of the company that published the book.”

Previous trials, including the biggest scientific trial of its kind – the Randomised Badger Culling Trial – had shown that culling badgers in areas where bovine TB was rife could have a significant effect on controlling bTB in cattle in those areas, said the NFU spokesman.

“Control of the disease in wildlife remains a key part of the government’s TB eradication strategy and the chief vet has said that proactive culling remains the best-evidenced available option of achieving this.

“We have always said we must use every option available to tackle bTB – cattle testing, cattle movement controls, biosecurity, vaccination when available and where appropriate – and controlling the disease in wildlife in areas where bTB is endemic.

“Only by using all these options will we stand a chance of achieving what everyone wants – a TB-free England.”