Badger Culling Welfare Concerns | Animal Welfare Hub

England operates a badger culling policy to control bovine TB. The culling methods and efficacy are disputed, and welfare concerns are significant.

Key Facts

England has culled over 250,000 badgers since 2013 to control bovine TB
Controlled shooting is the primary cull method - cage trapping is also used
Independent monitoring found that up to 18% of shot badgers took over 5 minutes to die
Badger vaccination offers an alternative to culling for TB control
The badger cull is one of the most contested wildlife management policies in UK history

Welfare Considerations

The welfare of culled badgers is documented to be poor. Firearms shooting of free-roaming badgers at night results in a significant proportion of animals not dying instantly. Prolonged death involving respiratory distress and pain in a significant minority is unacceptable by any welfare standard. Cage-trapping before shooting reduces this risk but is more labour intensive. The scientific case for culling efficacy is itself disputed, raising whether this welfare cost is even achieving its stated purpose.

What You Can Do

Support badger vaccination programs as an alternative to culling
Contact your MP to raise welfare concerns about culling methods
Donate to the Badger Trust legal challenges
Support research into bovine TB vaccines for cattle as the long-term solution
Advocate for minimum welfare standards in culling operations including post-shot assessment