Badger culling and vaccination comes with a number of serious implications:  restrictions on the number and public naming of Licencees, restrictions on the types of firearms allowed for the purpose, and restrictions on animal welfare activists who may attempt to interfere with a badger control programme all need careful consideration.  The cost of such a programme would be prohibitive if only Vets were granted licences, but farm staff would need training to effectively administer a vaccination or culling regime.  

The law currently protects badgers and the wilful killing or injuring of badgers and interference with active badger setts is a criminal offence.  However, the devastation wrought on UK farmers in the wake of badger-carried Bovine TB demands that DEFRA takes bold steps to tackle this widespread problem.