Government response

Badger cull humaneness expert advice will be publicly available

Defra responds to claims made by Humane Society International in The Times

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and The Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP
• Published: 17 September 2013

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The myth:

The Times reports claims by The Humane Society International that the humaneness of the controlled shooting method used in the badger cull pilots will be a ‘highly subjective’ decision by ministers based on a ‘completely secret’ assessment.

The truth:

Ministers will be provided with independently assessed evidence from the pilot culls, as well as advice from a range of experts on humaneness, before making a final decision on controlled shooting. All of this information will be made publicly available after the pilot culls finish.

Published 17 September 2013