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Biosecurity measures (disinfectant foot dip) were ignored
We have long suspected that Biosecurity failings at markets plays a much bigger role in spreading the disease than contact with wildlife. Biosecurity measures are put in place to minimise the risk of spreading disease on clothing and foot wear.
In March/April 2011, we filmed at three markets in and around the Intensive Action Area in Wales (where the killing of badgers will take place).
As part of the investigation we uncovered the following:
Our investigations in England have started to reveal a similar picture there.
Watch the investigation yourself and then decide: are badgers really to blame for TB or are they scapegoats? We thinking the answer is pretty obvious!
Read more about the investigation.
Find out what you can do to help badgers.
Donate to our campaign to fight for badgers and stop the ‘war on wildlife’.
TV wildlife presenter and Viva! patron Wendy Turner-Webster
Brian May from Queen
“I'm so thrilled to hear that the proposed extermination of this country's Badgers has been scrapped. I congratulate Hilary Benn on a brave and humane decision. And I am encouraged by the rejection of what I regard as a disgracefully scientifically unsound report by ex chief scientific advisor to the Government, Sir David King."
“The Farming community must now logically look to improvements in their own methods to control TB in Cattle. We can only hope that this leads to long-term improvements in the way farm animals are treated; it is long overdue.
“Just for the sake of making more money out of what some of us eat (not me) ... these people wanted to exterminate a whole population of innocent wild animals who have as much right to live in this land as we humans do.”
Jenny Seagrove
“Now farmers will realise the strength of the science and will recognise that culling has no part to play. They should now objectively, alongside government, consider the cattle control elements that we all know are absolutely essential as outlined in our report.”
Professor John Bourne, chairman of the Independent Scientific Group
"Culling badgers is historically known to be totally ineffective in stopping bovine TB. Northern Ireland has proved that the most effective procedures are strict cattle controls and no culling. We should all follow their lead- It works!"
Joanna Lumley
“We must not make badgers scapegoats for bovine TB”.
Twiggy
“How can we condemn a protected species to death when the reasons for doing so have been discredited by valid scientific evidence? Badger culling is utterly barbaric and pointless. Please support Viva! in their fight to stop this needless massacre of our precious wildlife.”
Benjamin Zephaniah
“Deep down anyone with common sense knows that killing animals is wrong, but what makes the idea of culling badgers even more sinister is that it’s being done in order to cover up bad farming practices and lazy testing methods. I don’t want to stand by knowing that these great creatures are suffering and being killed, but I also don’t want to see a time in the future when we look back and wonder how we let another group of our animals disappeared from our country.
I say no to this or any other badger cull and I urge all caring people to do the same. Get rid of ignorance, not badgers.”
Rose Elliot
“I totally support Viva! in their campaign to stop the badger cull which is both obscene and unnecessary since top scientists say it will only make the spread of TB in cattle worse.”
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