Bodger’s Badger and new friend back Badger Trust’s PBA30 Campaign!
- Badger Trust Staff Team
- Jul 11, 2022
- 3 min read
On the Protection of Badgers Act 30th anniversary, Bodger’s Badger explains why both dogs and badgers are worthy of love and protection.
This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Protection of Badgers Act (1992), a landmark win for badger protection in Britain. However, 30 years on, the legislation needs to be updated to align with the current Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 and best reflect Britain’s world-leading stance on animal welfare.
In marking this important legislative anniversary, Badger Trust launches Stop Badger Crime week, a week of resources and activities to raise awareness of its PBA30 campaign, the rising rates of badger crime across Britain, and the limitations of the Protection of Badgers Act, which hinders criminal prosecutions.
End double standards in animal protection law
The campaign calls on the government to bring sentencing under the PBA up-to-date. There is clear inequality and unfairness in current legislation, and Badger Trust wants to see consistency in how the law protects different animals.
Currently, those committing the most serious animal cruelty crimes to a domestic animal in England and Wales can face prosecution with up to five years in prison. Similar animal cruelty committed against a wild badger can only be given a maximum of a six-month prison sentence under the Protection of Badgers Act, even if the abuse happens at the same time, such as in badger baiting.
Badgers deserve to be recognised as sentient beings in need of maximum welfare protection in line with domestic animals. Six months is no deterrent. Five years is what is needed.
Together we call on the government to:
Extend the maximum sentence for convictions under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992) from six months to five years, bringing it into line with Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021. This means offenders would be faced with a five-year sentence for the abuse of a badger, in the same way as they would for the abuse of a dog used in the same crime.
Make badger persecution notifiable to the Home Office so that the real level of crime can be accurately assessed, reported on, and tackled. At present, wildlife crimes are not recorded in this way and there are no official national statistics. Increasing sentencing would, by default, make a crime under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992) a notifiable offence.
Bodger’s Badger backs the PBA30 campaign
Backing the PBA30 campaign is Bodger’s Badger, Britain's popular children’s TV character from the late 80s and 90s series ‘Bodger and Badger’. The new dynamic duo, Badger and (M)Ash, have jumped on board to support Badger Trust’s calls for an increase in sentencing under the Protection of Badgers Act from the current six months to five years.
In this video, Badger explains why the glaring inequality of the legislation is problematic for his fellow clan-mates across Britain:
How can you help?
Help us campaign for tougher sentences
You can join our PBA30 campaign and add your voice to our call for better protection for badgers. We’ve written to the Defra Secretary of State, Rt Hon George Eustice MP, to ask him to extend sentencing for badger crime. This would mean sentences for crimes such as badger baiting and shooting would present a real deterrent to badger abusers.
You can write to the Secretary of State and your MP too. The more letters they receive, the more chance we have of bringing about change, and as quickly as possible.
Further information
Stop Badger Crime week
Stop Badger Crime week is a week of dedicated badger persecution crime awareness to both celebrate the protected status of badgers whilst calling for further progress in the legislation.
According to a YouGov survey, conducted by Badger Trust in 2022, 64% of participants (a representative sample of UK adults) were unaware that badgers were even protected by law. This, combined with a 36% rise in badger persecution crime in 2020 shows that the current legislation is not working.
This week, Badger Trust will be sharing resources, educational articles, videos and more, to shine a light on the rising issue of badger persecution crime throughout Britain.
Remember the 3 Rs: Recognise, Record and Report badger crime and suspicious incidents
When you Recognise, Record and Report badger crime, you help investigators bring offenders to justice.
If a badger crime or suspicious incident is in progress:
call 999 and ask for police assistance
ensure you get a reference number for your call
If a badger crime has already happened:
call the police on their non-emergency number 101, or online to your relevant police force using ‘report a crime’.
ensure you get a reference number for your report
In all cases, keep yourself safe and do not approach or disturb the scene.
Bodger’s Badger
Ash White has created Bodger’s Badger with the permission of the Andy Cunningham estate. See more from Bodger's Badger via their social channels:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bodgersbadger2021
