I've recently come accross an organisation called 'Badger Watch and Rescue' which is obviously against badger baiting and I contacted them to see if there was anything I could do to help. This is the advice they gave:
"Steve.
First of all may I apologise for the time it has taken for me to answer your question. I have had some computer trouble and it has kept me off the internet for a month.
Badger baiting, although banned by law, still goes on. Here in West Wales many setts have been dug and the Badgers taken away or killed at the site.
the advice I would give to you is, if you see someone on a known Badger sett, with spades or bars, dogs or nets, call the police on 999. Do not approach the people, they may get violent. Take the number of any vehicles in the area and get a good description of the people on the sett without being seen. If you would like any more information you could ring me on : 01570480571.
I hope the above is some help.
Regards
Gordon Lumby
Secretary
Badger Watch and Rescue Dyfed"
Does anyone ever see things like this going on? I walk my dog everyday in rural areas but have never seen anything, maybe it only happens at night?
Originally posted by stevetoddIt does happen at night. Ask your local council's parks dept if there are any organised badger watches in the area. Ours organise them with community groups that volunteer to help keep parks and countryside a good place to go.
I've recently come accross an organisation called 'Badger Watch and Rescue' which is obviously against badger baiting and I contacted them to see if there was anything I could do to help. This is the advice they gave:
"Steve.
First of all may I apologise for the time it has taken for me to answer your question. I have had some computer trouble and it ...[text shortened]... y dog everyday in rural areas but have never seen anything, maybe it only happens at night?
Originally posted by Pawn QweenThanks I never thought of that I will do
It does happen at night. Ask your local council's parks dept if there are any organised badger watches in the area. Ours organise them with community groups that volunteer to help keep parks and countryside a good place to go.
Originally posted by stevetoddSave the badger?
I've recently come accross an organisation called 'Badger Watch and Rescue' which is obviously against badger baiting and I contacted them to see if there was anything I could do to help. This is the advice they gave:
"Steve.
First of all may I apologise for the time it has taken for me to answer your question. I have had some computer trouble and it ...[text shortened]... y dog everyday in rural areas but have never seen anything, maybe it only happens at night?
Here in Minnesota we pretty much have a mandate to shoot them on sight. They are a varmint. They can be pretty hard on small game populations.
Originally posted by RingtailhunterNo not so much save the badger, but stop mindless cowards killing them in this way. Maybe I should have made it clearer for our overseas friends, badger baiting takes place in the UK and...wait I will find something and paste it below rather than waffle on myself:
Save the badger?
Here in Minnesota we pretty much have a mandate to shoot them on sight. They are a varmint. They can be pretty hard on small game populations.
Badger baiting is incredibly cruel. The badger, which may first be partially disabled by being beaten over the head with a spade, or by having its jaw broken or its legs chained, is placed in a baiting pit or some other makeshift arena. It is then set upon by a succession dogs, which are goaded on by their sub-human owners. The dogs used are often the terriers that are used when the badger is dug from its sett.
Badger baiting.
Although the badger, with its fearsome jaws and long front claws, is well equipped to deal with its attackers, it prefers to keep its head down out of harm's way between its front legs. It will however attack from time to time, its head sweeping upwards and its jaws locking onto the lower jaws of the nearest dog. Thus the dogs as well as badger may often suffer terrible injuries. The baiters, knowing that they can't very well take their terriers to the vet's with such injuries, treat them - or put the dogs down - themselves. The badger meanwhile is attacked repeatedly, the dogs biting mostly around its head, holding on and trying to shake the animal as they would a rat.
When eventually the badger can fight no longer - and this can be an hour or more after the baiting session started - it is killed, either by repeated blows to the head with a spade, or by stabbing or shooting in some cases.
It is difficult for civilised people to understand how the baiters derive enjoyment from this so-called 'sport', but clearly they do. In some cases they can also make money from badger baiting, as large bets may be placed on the outcome of baiting sessions. Such betting is more usual at dog fights, and in fact a number of badger baiters are known to be into dog fighting too, or to have connections with dog fighters.