The idea
Common sense should be applied when enforcing the Badger Protection Act . As ordinary householders living in a residential suburban area our property was undermined by badger setts. Our garden collapsed making it too damgerous to go into. We had to wait for six months ( the badger breeding season) and watch while the badgers dug out 3 or more skips of earth from under our garden and house foundations. We were told if we inteferred with these setts we would be fined £5000 per badger disturbed plus a possible 6month jail sentence per badger.We had no financial help from anyone and had to spend thousands of pounds putting the damage right. These animals should have been removed to a place of safety. after 6months we could close the sett but the badgers were not protected in anyway. The law does NOT protect these creatures and does not make any sense ay all in suburban areas.
Why is it important?
If an elderly person or someone less capable physically and financially experienced a similar situation to ours they would have been trapped in their home with no constuctive help of any type available. The distress this caused us watching our garden falling apart and our property threatened was appalling. Defra only gave out diagrams of how to make one way trap doors to put on the settsto excude them once a licence to do so was obtained. The local Council offered no help as badgers were involved and they are protected. When thesetts were closed these animals were not able to return to their sett and had nowhere to go except out onto the main road, Defra knew this, they were anything but protected. They and their babies should have been trapped and taken to a safe area.
No One used any common sense at all.