Will you come on holiday next year to Pembrokeshire?

stripee · #1 (**permalink**) 30-09-2009, 04:11 PM

In view of the proposed badger cull, would this put anyone off visiting this part of Wales? Its main source of income is from tourism, increasingly outdoor pursuits and walking along the beautiful coastal path and national park. But from April, behind the scenes, badgers will be being killed in large numbers. In spite of the fact that even the chief scientist, at FERA (Government agency in Gloucestershire studying badgers and part of the TB eradication team at the Welsh Assembly) Dr Robbie McDonald says that a badger cull won't work.

Elin Jones is laying the legislation before the Welsh Assembly now to enable a compulsory government controlled cull of badgers in north Pembs. If you live in Wales and if you object please contact your Assembly member to put down an amendment so that it can be further debated and voted on asap. There is a time limit or it just sails through and becomes law in 21 days.

The preparations have included visits to farms to assess their boundaries, and the method chosen for the badgers would be trapping. However, they are assessing large farms that could be holding centres, so instead of shooting the badgers on individual farms they will be gathered up and transported to these centres before being shot. This would mean a very long time spent in a trap from the previous evening up until mid day the following day. And would include all the cubs that they are so worried about starving.

Pembrokeshire Against the Cull is an opposition group in Pembs set up initially by landowners. It is rapidly growing and has media coverage from the BBC, national news etc. If anyone wants further info (esp if you are in Wales) please pm me. If you are in England, jump up and down and voice your opinion where ever you can I can also send details of PAC if interested.

eeyore · #2 (**permalink**) 30-09-2009, 04:45 PM

I would still holiday in the area because although I do not support the cull I do not believe that hitting already hard pressed farmers in the pocket is going to make them more likely to take a more reasonable view.

taking away the B&B , tea room etc suplementry income will make them all the more dependent on their herds as their only source of income and thus more likely to demand that the cull be continued

squeek · #3 (**permalink**) 30-09-2009, 05:13 PM

i certainly would Not visit that area.
we are very lucky to actually have badgers here and we feed them, they are a real joy to see

i feel its just too easy to kill any animal we have a problem with, we are superior in that we are capable of finding answers, solving problems and yet the easiest option (for some) to kill is taken. humans look pretty dumb sometimes.

if there are any petitions pls let me know, will gladly sign

stripee · #4 (**permalink**) 30-09-2009, 05:13 PM

eeyore, just to say that PAC is inclusive of farmers, in fact it has some members with bovine tb in their cattle and members of NFU. It is becoming apparent that many farmers do not believe that badger culling is the answer but the WAG are marching down this route with the backing of the unions and some of the large dairy farms. It's hard to think of anything anyone can do outside of Wales as the WAG dismiss anything except from inside. It is opposed in pembs by the majority of the public.