I AM very disappointed, as I am sure many of your readers are, that the Government is pressing ahead with the terminally misguided policy of killing badgers in England.

I cannot call it a “cull” as the majority of those animals killed are likely to be healthy, as evidenced by a study from 2003 (which found 80 per cent of those killed were TB free).

As it is, the decision to allow farmers to shoot badgers on their land is disastrous in terms of welfare and potentially spreading the disease.

This slaughter will happen away from the eyes of the public.

There will be no way to monitor welfare – and orphaned cubs are liable to be left to die a long and lonely death in setts.

Badgers are highly territorial and largely stay in one area.

However, killing badgers will cause survivors to travel to new areas. This could have the effect of pushing TB onto farmers’ land where no TB exists.

TB infection in cattle is actually falling in the UK – not going up. How can this devastation of our natural wildlife be justified when TB infection is falling?

Please get involved in the campaign to stop Britain’s wildlife being used as the scapegoat for poor agricultural policy and political favouritism.

Visit viva.org.uk/badgers or phone 0117-944-1000 to find out how you can help.

Justin Kerswell, Viva campaigns manager.