Badger setts are legally protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, but enforcement is patchy and illegal disturbance, baiting, and sett destruction remain significant welfare problems.
Badger welfare in Britain is shaped by two very different pressures: illegal persecution through baiting and deliberate sett destruction, and legal killing in the government bTB cull. Both cause significant individual welfare harm. Illegal persecution is a criminal justice and enforcement challenge; the culture of badger baiting is deeply embedded in some communities and requires sustained policing and public reporting. The bTB cull raises welfare questions about the killing method and the justification for lethal control given the available alternative of vaccination. Both issues deserve continued scrutiny from animal welfare advocates.