Who pinned the fash tash on the donkey? Drove past this opposite Marlborough road in Barton street earlier - two thoughts came to mind - firstly the folks that posted this huge billboard must be pretty brave. Barton street is the multicultural centre of Gloucester and organizations with so many racist associations are particularly unwelcome here, secondly, kudos to whomever managed to get 12 feet up to pin the fash tash on mr Farage. Good form people of Gloucester.
I'm happy that after many years of blogging that this one concerns the town I've lived in for most of my adult life. Brilliant turnout in Gloucester today, with well over 500 people marching through the town, many dressed in badger costumes and holding anti-cull banners aloft, oh, and making lots of noise too. One well known local, who did not attend was Princess Anne, who earlier this month was all over the media supporting the cull and suggesting that gassing the badgers was the humane thing to do. This is of course entirely ridiculous. In the first instance needlessly killing badgers is, well, not humane at all. Furthermore reports from previous efforts to kill badgers in this way describe how the animal lets out distress calls, clearly in pain as it wheezes and vomits as its body systems begin to fail. Logistically there are issues with the ability to administer the full lethal dose, failure to do so is even less humane as the animal has a very slow drawn-out death. Then there is the threat to other animals and wildlife in the contaminated areas. None of the 2000 badgers killed so far have been found to carry TB and recent studies in Wales suggest that improving the cattle TB testing regime is an efficient means to identify infected cattle and prevent the onward spread of bovine TB. Also a vaccine has been available since 2010, and organisations such as the wildlife trust are implementing a program which could lead to herd immunity in up to 5 years. Nonetheless environment secretary Owen Patterson is not prepared to find means of supporting and improving these scientifically validated measures and wants the culls to proceed. In Gloucester today it has been clearly demonstrated that the badgers have a lot of human friends, friends who are prepared to do their utmost to keep them alive. March through Eastgate street, filmed by Diane Bartlett This one also feels personal to me not just because its close to home and because I think any rational person should care, but because I remember meeting a local badger, late one night near to Slad road in Stroud, it slowly approached me, crossing the road and walked up some steps, (bottom of Peghouse Rise in uplands if anyone is familiar with the area) eventually coming right up close, about a meter away before sensing me, pausing and then turning around and disappearing off into the dark. Such a beautiful looking creature who I felt so grateful to have met! Links: Expert reaction to Princess Anne's comments on gassing badgers Wildlife Trusts infographic explaining why vaccination should be central to government policy BBC Report. Hundreds march in Gloucester against badger cull Images for Social Networks:
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