Wildlife Welfare

Wild Badger Social Welfare and bTB Policy

The welfare impacts of badger culling policy and alternatives for bovine tuberculosis control.

Key Facts

Badger culling has been the primary UK bTB control policy since 2013, killing hundreds of thousands of badgers
Evidence for the effectiveness of badger culling in bTB control is contested among scientists
Badger vaccination using injectable BCG has shown efficacy and avoids the welfare harm of culling
Badger social group disruption through culling may worsen bTB spread through perturbation effect

Welfare Considerations

Badger culling causes massive, deliberate welfare harm with contested efficacy evidence. Individual badgers killed in cage traps and by shooting experience fear and pain. Vaccination provides an alternative that protects both badger welfare and bovine health, and should be the primary control strategy pending stronger evidence.

What You Can Do

Support organisations advocating for badger vaccination over culling as bTB policy
Engage with bTB policy consultations to advocate for vaccination evidence and badger welfare
Donate to the Badger Trust legal and advocacy work challenging unnecessary culling