Coitus interruptus for badger diggers in Lot-et-Garonne
The rapporteur public agrees that the Lot-et-Garonne Prefect’s decree of December 2020 on the allowed period for badger digging should be withdrawn. We were optimistic; we won!
The hearing at the Administrative Court in Bordeaux concerning our appeal to defend badgers took place on 29 June 2021. For the rapporteur public, the decree ordered by the Prefect of Lot-et-Garonne on 11 December 2021 that permits the allowed period of underground badger hunting with hounds to be kept from mid-May to Mid-September 2021 should be totally or partially withdrawn. We were therefore optimistic, and the good news broke this evening on 19 July 2021: the decree has been withdrawn!
Amongst the grievances that we have against this decree, there was the fact that the Prefect hadn’t preceded the publication with a public consultation.
For us, the decree was equally “tarnished by an obvious error of judgement”, it “was/is unaware of the precautionary approach” and was “tarnished by misuse of power”.
For Muriel Arnal, founding president of One Voice:
«Badgers are peaceful animals who are protected in most European countries. And for a reason! Their population remains relatively stable and they don’t cause any damage. The only reason for authorising allowed periods for digging them out is simply for hunters’ pleasure!»
The Bordeaux Administrative Court has now decided to agree with the rapporteur public’s outcome. This is great news for badgers in Lot-et-Garonne. Effectively, badger diggers, who are allowed to carry out their sinister task from autumn to spring, will no longer be able to do so this summer. So, admittedly, from mid-May to now, it had been possible for them to kill badgers by digging the soft soil of the setts but that is where their gruesome game ends. We are extremely happy with this positive conclusion.
Translated from the French by Joely Justice