Bill Oddie visits Somerset Badger Cull zone

As the second Badger Cull in Gloucestershire and Somerset draws to a close, members of Somerset Badger Patrol were joined by a team from the League Against Cruel Sports, the League’s Vice President, Bill Oddie, and Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East.

Around 60 people turned up to the Somerset Against the Badger Cull event (October 10), to listen to Mr Oddie speak about the efforts of the campaigners and to show their opposition to the cull.

Mr Oddie said: “This is one of the most controversial, unreasonable and unnecessary ‘solutions’ I have ever known in my whole life. It is revolting that the government has not listened to the people. It is unbelievable.”

Protestors who go on patrol often watch a specific area within the cull zone to put pressure on cullers and to make sure they are acting within the legal limits.

“Mr Oddie came down to see what was happening on the ground,” said Adrian Coward, Chairman of the Somerset Badger Group.

“It was a good morale boost for those on patrol, who brave the windy, wet and damp conditions.

“They are dedicated and determined and they appreciated people coming from London or Bristol to pay an interest in what they do.

“But even if people didn’t visit, they would still be just as determined because this is something they believe in and feel so strongly about.”

Whilst out on the patrol, Bill Oddie visited a vaccination site within the cull zone, as well as taking a look at where Badger 41 was found.

Badger 41 was discovered by anti-cull protestors within the Somerset cull zone and was found to have been shot in the abdomen, rather than the target area of the chest.

The implications of this suggest that the badger died an inhumane death, namely slow and painful, sparking a police investigation.

A spokesperson from Avon and Somerset Police said: “We are continuing to look into the case of Badger 41 and are speaking to all the parties involved.”