Why are badgers being killed? And what is the best way to help save them? The answer might not be what you'd expect .

Dairy cattle are unwittingly being used as pawns in this extermination of wildlife

Badgers in parts of Wales are shortly to be exterminated - lured to their deaths with peanut 'treats'; trapped and then callously shot. The reason behind this wholesale slaughter of wildlife is a terminally misguided attempt, orchestrated by the Welsh Assembly, to stop the spread of bovine TB amongst Wales' cattle herds. This killing of wildlife for dairy products is totally inexcusable.

Despite overwhelming scientific evidence showing that killing badgers won't make a difference to the TB epidemic (and might actually make it worse), the Welsh Assembly is pressing ahead with a limited 'cull' of badgers in North Pembrokeshire. This is despite the fact that the methods they are employing are unscientific and will be difficult to assess (they are also putting in place stricter cattle controls in the area, so a clear picture of what works or doesn't work will be impossible to ascertain). Any drop in TB, however, is sure to be erroneously attributed to killing badgers.

	Badgers will soon be lured to their deaths with peanuts

In short, by consuming Welsh dairy products you are indirectly contributing to the annihilation of badgers in parts of Wales. Send the Welsh Assembly and the Welsh farmers a clear message that you do not support this needless bloodshed: boycott all Welsh dairy produce. They have refused to listen to science and common sense - but they might listen to a drop in profits!

Of course, all dairy farming has serious welfare implications. The best way to end the suffering of all animals is to go vegan. Viva! can help with advice on switching from dairy to plant-based alternatives!

Also, email your local paper and the Welsh Assembly. We have made it easy with our sample letters for both people in and outside of Wales!

Click here to find out how you can get more involved in the campaign - including how to order free leaflets to help save badgers!

To find out more about the issues, read our Badgers and bovine TB factsheet.

Visit Viva!'s Dark Side of Dairy website to read about the cruelty inherent in the dairy industry.

Visit the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation's White Lies web page to discover the health implications of consuming dairy.

A Boycott of Welsh dairy products is not anti-Welsh!

Many people in Wales support the boycott:

"As residents of Pembrokeshire, we are appalled at the prospect of anonymous armed contractors trapping and shooting badgers every spring and summer in our home county. Cull objectors have been systematically robbed of their rights by a vicious Government in the grip of a militant farming lobby. Many of our friends locally have already said they will join us in boycotting Welsh dairy products as a result of this madness." Adrian Stallwood and Monica Fernandez, North Pembrokeshire

"I will definitely support a ban on buying Welsh dairy products. Farmers are to blame for bTB and it's time our Welsh Assembly were held to account for siding with the FUW and for ignoring sound science. Welsh public condemnation of the cull has also been cast aside by the Senedd and this will be to their cost when most are voted out in the 2011 WAG elections." Judi Hewitt, Rhyl

"Since the possibility of a badger cull in Wales was announced my family do not purchase any dairy product sourced from Wales. We have replaced cow's milk with Rice and Soya milks and used vegan alternatives to cheese. We have gone further by sourcing our fruit and vegetables from outside Wales and banned meat and products from our diet.

We are living very healthily as a result and feel much better with more energy." Derek Hector, Cardiff