Poll shows only 16% support a badger cull
Campaigners pushing for a cull of badgers to reduce tuberculosis in cattle have been dealt a further blow today as opinion polling shows that four times as many people support a vaccination programme for badgers than a cull. Sixty-seven per-cent support vaccination whereas only 16% favour a cull.
The polling – by YouGov for the League Against Cruel Sports – comes as farming minister James Paice said in a television interview that the cull “may not happen”, casting doubt on expectations that the government were to announce a cull this month.
Animal welfare campaigners were concerned that the plans to license the shooting of free-running badgers would leave many seriously injured badgers and ‘introduce a new rural bloodsport’.
Douglas Batchelor, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports, said the poll results were a ‘smack in the teeth’ for the minister. “Defra got it spectacularly wrong on forests, and backed down. This polling shows that they’re heading exactly the same way on the badger cull. I take nothing for granted but I am hopeful that Mr Paice’s comments are the first step in a government plan to gently let down those who support a cull.”
“A government-funded study found that a badger cull can actually increase the problem of bovine tuberculosis rather than reduce it,” said Mr Batchelor. “The science is far from clear and it would be reckless of the government to start killing protected species on nothing more than a whim.”
Less than one in ten people think that farmers should bear the full cost of the cull, which was thought to be the government’s preferred option. 52% of people felt that government and farmers should share the cost whilst 32% thought government should cover the costs alone.
YouGov polled 2,064 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 17th – 18th May 2011. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+). The polling was commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports.
YouGov Badger Cull Poll
http://www.league.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?ID=983
The photo is with the kind permission of the Wildlife Aid Foundation and they own the copyright.
