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Lucky Escape!
We were notified a few weeks ago about
a badger with a plastic tie around his neck
that was visiting a garden in Weston Super
Mare.One of our response drivers was
able to set up a trap in the garden. The
cage had to be monitored at all times when
left open. We asked them to contact us as
soon as the badger was inside the trap.
Three weeks later, we were beginning
to think we were never going to catch it.
The badger was very good at getting the
bait out of the cage from the side, the top
- in fact anyway other than entering the
cage. So we were really elated when we
eventually got the call late on Monday night
to say that the badger was in the trap!
Brought in by Martin, a response driver,
minds in the light of science and
and as the noose around the neck was
research.
not causing any distress, she was put in a
At least we can work with wildlife
pen for the night. The next day when the
in the knowledge that Quantock
badger was anaesthetised we could see
Veterinary Hospital, who is our vet,
that somehow she had got a plastic tie
will always treat every animal that we
caught around her neck. Cutting the plastic
take to them with the respect that
tie and removing it, we were able to see
they deserve.
that the tie was just starting to cut into the
skin. Within a few days it would have cut
Black & White
further into the skin and become an infected
Campaign Update
wound that would have eventually killed her.
As she was a lactating female,
arrangements were made for her to go
The petition from the Black and White home that night. Martin kindly came
Campaign was presented to the Welsh straight from work at 10 p.m., collected
Assembly in time for their meeting in
her and took her back to the garden,
May. A total of 14,098 signatures
much to the delight of the people who had
were sent with a letter to Ms Elin
been so helpful in catching her. I’m sure a
Jones. There appears to be no back
much happier badger returned to her sett
down on this pilot programme so far
that night with a warm welcome from
but we will keep you in touch.
some very delighted cubs because ‘mum’
had come home!
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