I KNOW just how David and Fran Carpenter feel about the culling of badgers, (Letters, May 23), as I had a similar cause for dismay recently, on reading a letter in the Daily Mail from a West Countryman, who, on a country walk, found no fewer than nine dead hedgehogs that had been disemboweled by badgers.
Times were (I speak as an 80-year-old country boy) when the countryside was managed by the farmer for the wellbeing of all who live in it, and if that meant taking a life to save a life (who said that?) then so be it. Nowadays however they don’t employ much direct labour, mainly contractors,so things have become rather neglected in some areas.
One local gentleman farmer, to whom I was speaking recently, buys his milking stock from Holland, where they don’t have bovine TB, for the simple reason that there are no badgers.
The three hedgehogs that come to my small garden every night have been cleaning the dish of dog food, all through the winter, but I have had to make it cat-proof.
A W THORNE, Southampton
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here