Back Off Badgers! - Update

It is expected that soon the government will be making an announcement on whether to cull badgers in England as part of a plan to control Bovine TB in cattle.  The government in Wales have announced that they will be postponing a planned badger cull until after they have reviewed the evidence.  The RSPCA have been led to believe that the English government will NOT be following suit.

A cull could mean the eradication of 70% of the badger population and it could involve farmers and landowners being allowed to fund and carry out the cull themselves using a variety of methods including free shooting.  The RSPCA are just one of the organisations to oppose the cull and have fought against various plans put forward by different governments due to the severe welfare implications.  Licensing farmers and/or landowners to free shoot would be impossible to monitor and be inhumane.

In 2010, the RSPCA's Back Off Badgers campagin provoked an overwhelming response which recorded nearly 40,000 objections to the controversial plans for the badger cull in England.  Unfortunately it seems that the government are not paying attention to the views of the general public which has prompted the RSPCA to ask that we go directly to the top and ask the Prime Minister himself to listen.

Ask David Cameron to stop ignoring science and public opinion and Back Off Badgers! 


Click the link, enter a few details and you will be directed to a readily prepared e-mail to David Cameron.  I have changed the subject line and re-worded the e-mail as this way it is more likely that the reader will not just skip through.

Also:


The Humane Society are also asking supporters to contact the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman.  Click here to do the same as above, enter a few details and hit submit  I have already written to Caroline Spelman and received a response but a reminder won't hurt!


Remember to share on Facebook and Twitter!  Thank you.

Source.

What happened at the debate on Circuses?

BBC News tells how MP Mark Pritchard stood up to Prime Minister David Cameron after he was "threatened"

The Express tells of a "dirty tricks" row

New Statesmen says Number 10 was "humiliated" after MP's backed a ban on wild animals used in circuses.

The good news is that MP's voted unanimously for a ban!

Stop clowning around, we need to think seriously about Circuses...

Source.

The RSPCA and Animal Aid have long been campaigning for the use of animals in circuses to be banned.  A few months ago some video footage was released by an organisation called Animal Defenders International showing an elephant named Anne, being abused by her keeper at Bobby Robert's Super Circus.  The good news is that Anne has now been moved to Longleat Safari Park where you can see below that she is a whole lot happier.

Read more about Anne here.

Anne was the last elephant to be used in a circus but according to the RSPCA there are still 37 animals left including zebras, lions, snakes, tigers, camels, a kangaroo and crocodiles

After Anne's experiences had come to light, Caroline Spelman MP, the Secretary of State said that she was "minded" towards a ban on wild animals in circuses.  Unfortunately there has been no further announcement by Mrs Spelman.  In recent weeks, Defra announced that it is unable to ban the use of wild animals in circuses because of a lawsuit taking place in Austria.  However, Jim Paice, Defra’s pro-hunt animal welfare Minister was forced to admit that these legal proceedings don’t actually exist. 

Mr Paice was reported to have said "if you don't like the idea of elephants and lions performing in circuses, don't go". 

The RSPCA is asking for one final push to urge Prime Minister, David Cameron to ban wild animals in circuses once and for all.

How to Help

If you click on this link you will be taken to the RSPCA's campaign site where you will be asked to enter a few details, once you have done this you will be taken to a readily prepared e-mail where, if you have time, you can enter your own (polite) comments.  Hit submit and we're another step closer to a better life for animals.

Don't forget to tell your friends.  Thank you!

Sources:  RSPCA, Animal Aid.

Update on the repeal

Most of the action alerts appearing in my inbox over the past few weeks have been about the possible repeal of the hunting ban. It really does seem like the new Government is prioritising repealing the ban. Rumor has it that the Prime Minister has appointed Jim Paice as Minister for Agriculture and Food and made him responsible for hunting and shooting. This is a new addition to the role as none of Labour’s last Defra team was responsible for either of these things.

I had an e-mail from IFAW today asking me to contact my MP and urge to protect the Hunting Act but unfortunately my MP, Caroline Spelman has already decided that the Ban should be repealed. Maybe your MP feels differently?

More ways to help.

Pledge to Support The Ban!

Image from Google.

(I'm sorry to jump on the bandwagon and talk politics, after reading some comments made by the Countryside Alliance last night I just couldn't resist)

I felt a growing sense of unease last night as I watched Gordon Brown leave Downing Street and David Cameron enter. I went straight online to see what this might mean for the Fox Hunting Ban. It seems that the Countryside Alliance are prematurely declaring victory. The Government are focusing on pressing issues like reducing the deficit but soon enough attention will turn to the Fox Hunting Ban.

I have signed up to The League Against Cruel Sports and Animal Aid's Campaign for Decency and depending on developments I am considering becoming a member of The League and definitely will be joining protests.

[More info to follow as and when]

Will you please join me in pledging to support the ban?

The League Against Cruel Sports

Campaign for Decency