Rescue centre back "no license" call on badger cull (From Burnham and Highbridge Weekly News)

Rescue centre back "no license" call on badger cull

2:54pm Tuesday 8th July 2008 in News By James Beal

SECRET World Wildlife Rescue Centre in East Huntspill has backed a Government announcement that it will not license a cull of badgers to prevent the spread of TB in cattle.

In a commons statement on Monday, environmental secretary Hilary Benn confirmed it would not issue licences for a large-scale cull of badgers, but instead concentrate on vaccinations and research into the disease.

The announcement came after the Government commissioned the Independent Scientific Group to look into the problem of TB in cattle.

A decision not to license a cull of badgers provoked anger among farmers, with Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers Union calling the statement a "disgraceful abdication of responsibility" by Mr Benn.

But East Huntspill charity Secret World joined the RSPCA in praising the Government's decision.

Pauline Kidner, founder of Secret World, expressed delight that the Government accepted and acted upon the results of the independent research.

She told the Weekly News: "At last there will be a break in the 30 years of killing badgers and cattle controls will be the main focus."

"Thank goodness that our government has not bowed to the extreme pressure from the NFU and other political farming bodies.

"Historic mind set from these parties, together with opinions from retired vets has at last been set aside."

The wildlife organisation looks after a number of badgers at its rescue headquarters, nursing them to health before releasing them back into the wild.