Baiting & Digging

Badger-baiting is a blood sport where badgers are forcibly dug out of their setts, often using terriers or other small dogs to trap the badgers, and are then taken to be put in a pit, or enclosed area, and baited with dogs to make them fight. If the badger is not killed by the dogs, or can no longer fight, it will eventually be killed by the baiter, which may be by shooting, stabbing or beating to death with a shovel. They are often then dumped at the roadside, in the hope they will be mistaken as road kill.

Quite apart from the trauma and injuries to the badger, there are also often serious injuries to the dogs involved, to such an extent that they often have to be put to sleep. However due to the fact that the baiters know their actions are illegal, they will frequently not even bother taking dogs to the vet in case they get reported to the police because the injuries look suspicious, so again the manner is which the dogs are destroyed is questionable.

To try and avoid damage to their dogs, the baiters use various cruel acts to minimise the risk e.g. filing the badger’s claws, pulling out some of their teeth or even breaking the badgers limbs or jaw before they throw it to the dogs.

Despite the fact that interfering with a sett is illegal under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, and any cruelty and death also constitutes as offence, sadly around 10,000 badgers are still killed this way every year.

If caught and convicted, badger baiters can be handed a sentence of up to 6 months in jail, a fine of up to £5000, as well as possibly community service or being banned from owning dogs in the future.

Unfortunately, following the recent Government Badger Cull in the west country, badger baiting appears to be on the rise as people seem to believe that either the protection of badgers in no longer valid, or, even if they know that not to be the case, they do not seem very concerned about the law.

THE PEOPLE THAT CARRY OUT THESE DESPICABLE ACTS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS, AND SHOULD NEVER BE APPROACHED. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE COME ACROSS A SITUATION LIKE THIS, NEVER DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF OR PUT YOURSELF AT DANGER!

If you suspect any suspicious activity has taken place, record details of the scene,but remember to do this from a distance so as not to interfere with evidence.

• Call the police immediately once you are in a safe place – please make sure you are given a crime number!

• Number of people involved and brief description (e.g. height, build, hair colour, ethnicity, gender, clothing and distinctive features)

• Details of tools used (e.g. spades, nets or sacks)

• Details of dogs (e.g. numbers, breed, colour and distinctive injuries)

• Details of the activity taking place

• Details of vehicles (e.g. Registration number, make and model)

• Location (include the grid reference if possible)

• Be aware you are entering a potential crime scene. Do not disturb evidence!

• If you have a camera, briefly take a few photos (in particular note footprints) but remember to do this from a distance so as not to interfere with evidence.

• Notify the Essex Badger Protection Group on 07341 944567 or 07341 944568 as well as the Police and RSPCA.

• The Essex Badger Protection Group in conjunction with the Essex Police is committed to stopping these illegal activities.