Heads in the sand (From Western Telegraph)

Heads in the sand

11:28am Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Letters

Dear Editor:- I am sorry that Steve Jarvis (letter to Western Telegraph dated January 11th) should accuse me of double standards and lack of knowledge. Wherever myxomatosis originated from is not the question, but we must agree that since 1953 whenever that rabbit population gets out of hand myxomatosis raises it's ugly head. Similarly when the badger population got out of hand TB spread among them.

As a dairy farmer who has lost over 250 animals who have reacted to the test I do not or never have denied what side I am on. Living in the real world I do realise what a waste this is and cows are not allowed the same suffering as badgers do when they die a most painful death.

Research has proved that badgers wonder up to twelve miles in a night in search of food due to the increased numbers. My letter was written in desperation knowing the loss to the farmers and great suffering among the badgers and that the number of badgers is still on the increase leading to more suffering and cruel deaths.

I believe very strongly that the only way we are going to solve this problem is for the two sides to get together to hopefully to control if not eliminate this horrible disease that witnessed so many death among young and not so young people in the last century. Since the Western Telegraph printed my letter I have received numerous letters and telephone calls of support from farmers, but I am sorry to say that the pro badger people seem to be happy to bury their heads in the sand. To end I must add what I read recently 'a person who raises his voice has lost his argument while the person that is rude has no argument'.

Sir Eric Howells CBE Llanddewi Velfrey