Badger and cattle vaccination campaign

Two badgers in woodland, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

Beautiful badgers, Elliott Neep 

Ask the Government to develop and deliver a cattle and badger vaccination strategy

This year’s badger cull is set to be the largest yet. 

We need your help - now.

Scientific evidence has proved the culling of badgers is ineffective in fighting bovine tuberculosis among cattle. 

It’s time for the UK Government to deliver on its commitment and fast track the transition from badger culling to vaccination in England.  

ACT NOW

Contact your MP and tell them to do this now. Badgers are in desperate need of your help. 

Thank you 

We're asking the Government to:

The main cause of bovine TB, an infectious disease that affects cattle, is from cattle to cattle transmission. Badgers are not the main culprit.  

Instead of badger culling, we want the Government to: 

  • Develop and deliver a badger vaccination strategy 

  • Roll out a cattle vaccine 

  • Improve testing of cattle for bTB and limit the movement of cattle across the country 

  • Ensure higher standards of biosecurity on farms to prevent the spread of bTB between cattle

2020vision

What is happening?

Earlier this year, Defra launched a public consultation on proposals to help eradicate bTB in England. 

More than 40,000 people responded to the consultation asking the Government not to grant any new intensive badger cull licenses, and instead prioritise vaccinations.  

Despite overwhelming public opposition to the badger cull, the Government granted seven more licences this year.  

We want the Government to follow the scientific evidence, by prioritising vaccinations and ending culling.  

Why are we doing this?

For the past decade, Wildlife Trusts have been undertaking badger vaccination programmes on our nature reserves and in the wider countryside in partnership with vets, farmers, and landowners. For example, more than 1,000 badgers have been vaccinated by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to date.  

But with 140,000 badgers already culled, and the possibility of that total reaching 200,000 by the end of the year, the Government needs to support badger vaccination on a much larger scale by developing and delivering a badger vaccination strategy.  

We need MPs to carry the message to the Environment Secretary George Eustice MP that the public wants the Government to fast track its transition from culling to vaccinating. 

ACT NOW

Use our template email to write your MP and ask them to speak up for you in Parliament. You can add your own comments to the email. The more you personalise it, the more likely your MP is to take notice. 

See the proposed cull figures for each county here

Other ways you can help

Donate

Donate now

Write to your MP

Act now

Become a member

Support us