Off the Leash

In the latest episode of The Off the leash Podcast Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer look at the latest on the badger cull - in other words, a climbdown by Defra; the findings of the Foreign Affairs Committee on Afghanistan & Nowzad - basically the most senior civil servants were found to be uncooperative and evasive; Dominic’s upcoming documentary which starts filming very soon; but we start with the submission Dominic and Born Free made to the EFRA Committee (the committee which examines the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and its associated public bodies) on trade with the Faroes in relation to the Grind and the slaughter of pilot whales and other marine mammals - total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) between the UK and Faroe Islands was a staggering £881 million in the four quarters to the end of Q4 2021, an increase of 90.3% or £418 million from the four quarters to the end of Q4 2020!Gov Committee Role - Environment, Food and Rural Affairs CommitteeSea Shepherd Operation Bloody Fjords 2022DTI Trade and Investment Factsheets Faroe Islands (May 2022)Gov Committee Missing in action: UK leadership and the withdrawal from Afghanistan (May 2022)Vet Record Analysis of the impact of badger culling on bovine tuberculosis in cattle in the high-risk area of England, 2009–2020Off the Leash Interview #23 Tom Langton and Dr Mark Jones | Badger Culling ResearchOff the Leash Interview #27 Keep the Ban | Skydiving to Expose CubbingShit Lawns Twitter feedOff the Leash Interview #25 Saffron Gloyne | Animal Welfare Party Candidate 

A slightly truncated Off the Leash Podcast this time around, as Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer focus on why they’ve been saying ‘Off the leash Podcasts is dead, long live Off the Leash’  this week (Charlie posted a shortcast explaining about the upcoming changes earlier this week, but we wanted to discuss it at more length),' we outline upcoming events this week, including a Parliamentary reception organised by PETA UK as part of the ongoing campaign against the fur caps worn by the Queen's Guards; and we name our Heroes and Villains of the week (this time lauding PC Claire Dinsdale QPM and slating the cabal of interests that have sidelined her and the investigation in Dorset into the death of a young White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of Wight reintroduction project).Shortcast #82 Charlie Moores | Off the Leash Podcasts is dead, long live Off the LeashPETA UK  Stop Bear Slaughter: PETA Unveils Faux-Fur Queen’s Guard CapPC Claire Dinsdale Twitter feedThe Guardian   Disbanding of Dorset wildlife crime team puts birds of prey ‘at risk’Raptor Persecution UK  Chris Packham submits FoI requests to Dorset Police & the Crime Commissioner

In this episode of The Off the Leash Podcast, Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer look at Dorset Police’s baffling and frankly bizarre decision to halt an investigation into the poisoning of a White-tailed Eagle found dead on a Dorset shooting estate; at an FOI request from Wiltshire Hunt Sabs that found that an astonishing 53 police officers chaperoned the notorious Avon Vale Hunt at one meet in Wiltshire in early March but still couldn’t see assaults on sabs taking place in front of them; and we will look briefly at a rather clever suggestion put forward by Wild Justice about the shooting of Woodcocks.  We also name our Heroes and Villains (which once again features the divisive and unrepresentative Countryside Alliance)But we begin with a look at newly-released figures from Defra which state that at least 33,687 badgers were slaughtered in 2021 as part of its ongoing campaign to appease the dairy industry; petition updates; and Dominic's thoughts on how shifting government priorities might see the Animals Abroad Bill shelved...Badger Trust |  Badger Trust outraged as latest cull figures reveal record proportion killed by inhumane shootingOff the Leash |  Interview #23 Tom Langton and Dr Mark Jones | Badger Culling ResearchThe Guardian |  Cabinet row as plan to ban fur and foie gras trade scrapped by PMRaptor Persecution UK |  Poisoned eagle in Dorset had 7 x lethal dose rodenticide in its liverWild Mammal Persecution UK |  The Rule of LawOff the Leash | Interview# 22 Wiltshire Hunt Sabs March 2022 Wiltshire Hunt Sabs FOI TweetWild Justice |  We ask for changes to the Woodcock shooting seasonOff the Leash | Shortcast #59 Charlie Moores  Ban the Shooting of Woodcocks The National | North Wales PCC accused of ‘prejudice’ over hunting review

 In this episode of The Off the Leash Podcast, Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer discuss burnout and campaigning in a world that is both full of relentless need and is falling apart in front of us. As we say, "we’re not mental health professionals, we can’t solve anyone’s problems, but we thought that perhaps outlining our own experiences, looking at what encourages and keeps us going, might just help someone who is struggling too...". We also look at the newly introduced Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill, which aims to tighten up loopholes left over from the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002 (it almost - but not quite - succeeds). We ask how on earth mega-retailer Tesco can sanction netting to stop red-listed House Martins nesting on its North Berwick store. And we give a word of thanks to the Buff-breasted Bumblebee, that gentle giant (relatively speaking of course) of early spring. #WeStandWithUkraineOff the Leash Podcasts 3.3 UkraineWar on Wildlife Project  Solastalgia – a quiet mourningOneKind  Animal charity welcomes Bill that could finally ban the ‘sport’ of fox hunting, 20 years onScottish Government The Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) BillRSPB House Martin Added to Red ListChange.org Stop the netting preventing House Martin’s nesting at North Berwick TescoBumblebee Conservation Trust Buff-tailed Bumblebee

A conversation between Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer about Ukraine and Russia's war.  How did we get to this disaster and what might we have learned about our humanity and our compassion for each other?We discussed at length whether we should record this - is the world waiting for an Off the Leash statement on Ukraine? Of course not. Will a  podcast make any difference? Of course not - but we wanted to show our support for the people of Ukraine anyway, so here we are...#WeStandWithUkraineDisasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian AppealNetwork for Animals Ukraine Emergency Appeal

In this episode of The Off the Leash Podcast, Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer discuss the previously fairly unknown  Conservative MP Chris Loder after the idiotic tweet he posted after learning that two White-tailed Eagles from the Isle of Wight reintroduction project had been found dead in 'suspicious circumstances' by investigatorswhich said that he didn't want Eagles in Dorset and that he didn't want the police investigating what happened to them; the idiotic footballer Kurt Zouma and his idiotic brother for posting a video of him abusing his cat on social media; the repulsive vivisection industry and the Animal Welfare Act; what links fox hunting and organised crime gangs; a couple of ongoing petitions; and we name our Heroes and Villians - but we begin with something that has again been keeping Dominic very busy...the political fallout from Operation Ark.Off the Leash Podcasts Shortcast #28 Dominic Dyer | Rescue the Animal RescuersThe Off the Leash Podcast 2.5 (OperationArk)Chris Loder MP Tweet "Dorset is not the place for eagles to be reintroduced" Off the Leash Podcasts Live #08 | Voices against Vivisection outside ParliamentOff the Leash Podcasts  Live #03 | #FreetheMBRBeagles Protest Home OfficeOff the Leash Podcasts Live #07 | Voices from Camp BeagleCamp Beagle WebsiteCamp Beagle Facebook page and Twitter Feed Animal Aid petition  Make the use of free-running snares illegal for trapping wildlife (Deadline 09 May 22)  Government Petition Suspend trade agreement with Faroe Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts end (Deadline 21 March 22)Peta Petition Replace the real bearskins used for the Queen’s Guard’s caps with faux fur (Deadline 06 July 22)

In this episode of The Off the Leash Podcast, Charlie Moores and Dominic Dyer discuss a mix of politics, animal rights, and institutional bias. What might happen to the government's legislative animal welfare agenda if Boris Johnson is replaced as Prime Minister,  for example, and are government petitions worth signing (the answer is 'Yes'). We look at why hare coursing is discussed in Parliament but not hare hunting (both are illegal after all(, and read out a very accurate statement by the campaign group Action Against Hare Hunting which nails the reason brilliantly. We discuss a decision by Cornwall Council to continue allowing so-called 'Trail hunting' on its land and look at the Code of Conduct that should guide elected councillors. In the light of so much information emerging on the clear bias of some police officers towards hunts, is it right that the Chair of the College of Policing should also be the Chair of the pro-hunting lobby group the Countryside Alliance? We ask why Glue Traps are still available when they're obviously cruel. And we name our Heroes and Villains (once again the loathsome  Safari Club International come on for a slating).Animal Aid petition  Make the use of free-running snares illegal for trapping wildlife (Deadline 09 May 22)  Government Petition Suspend trade agreement with Faroe Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts end (Deadline 21 march 22)Peta Petition Replace the real bearskins used for the Queen’s Guard’s caps with faux fur (Deadline 06 July 22)Action Against Hare Hunting Twitter feed and Facebook pageHunt Saboteurs Association Hare Hunting PacksInterview #15 South London Hunt Sabs | Sabbing 2.0Interview #14 Wiltshire Hunt SabsFalmouth Packet Debate on trail hunting in Cornwall at council: what happened (19 Jan 22)Local Government Association Model Councillor Code of Conduct 2020Countryside Alliance blog Nick Herbert MP is new Alliance Chairman (18 Oct 19)Government website Nick Herbert appointed Chair of College of Policing (14 Jan 21)OneKind Scottish Government bans glue traps (21 Jan 22)

In this Off the Leash Podcast 2021 Year End Special, Dominic Dyer and Charlie Moores focus on the madness of foxhunting's Boxing Day 'meets' with reference to the disgraceful attacks by hunt followers on protestors in Lacock, a National Trust owned village in Wiltshire; the Faroes and the Grind; the use of Black Bear fur in military hats; and announce plans for an Operation Ark and Operation Magic Carpet New Year Special podcast.  Sandwiched inside all of that is animal sentience, moorlands, and much more. We also discuss a planned series of shortcasts on snares and snaring to support the recently re-launched Animal Aid petition to ban the use of free-running snares. We can't really make an episode of The Off the Leash Podcast without our Heroes and Villains, and in this one we slam the fossil fuel industry, the pesticide industry, the shooting industry,  foxhunting, and the so-called Countryside Alliance, and heap praise on everyone who helped get people (and animals) out of Afghanistan and the hunt sabs and monitors who put their bodies (and minds) on the line to protect wildlife and stop wildlife crime from taking place (heroes one and all). Finally, we thank everyone who has supported us in our first year online, and look forward to 2022.Wiltshire Live Boxing Day hunt descends into violence amid protest in idyllic Wiltshire villageWiltshire Hunt Sabs Twitter feed and PayPal funding pagePETA  Stop Bear Slaughter: PETA Unveils Faux-Fur Queen’s Guard CapAnimal Aid page on snaresGovernment petition  Make the use of free-running snares illegal for trapping wildlife Government petition  Suspend trade agreement with Faroe Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts endOff the Leash podcast Interview #12 Crustacean Compassion | Decapod SentienceUnearthed  Europe and the UK’s vast shipments of banned, bee-killing ‘neonics’

In the twentieth episode of The Off the Leash Podcast, Dominic Dyer and Charlie Moores focus on COP 26, the 'Conference of the Parties' climate summit being held in Glasgow this year. Dominic chaired a  ‘State of the Earth’ Question Time debate at COP which was organised by Born Free and the UK Cabinet Office, and we discuss whether the summit appears to be achieving lasting change and the feelings 'on the ground'. We also talk about some of the ideas discussed during the debate by a panel that included Will Travers OBE, Deborah Meaden, and Bella Lack: the role of storytelling in campaigning, for example, putting the climate and biodiversity crises on the school curriculum, peak travel, and the scaling-up of technology. Dominic also discusses why he thinks his Twitter account is being 'throttled' (his tweets are no longer appearing in many feeds including our own): lobbyists working to counter the campaigns set up against the slaughter of whales and dolphins on the Faroe Islands. ‘State of the Earth’ Question Time Panel Debate (YouTube)What is COP26 and what was agreed at Glasgow climate conference? BBC NewsPetition  Suspend trade agreement with Faroe Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts end Dominic Dyer Twitter feed

 In The Off the Leash Podcast #19 we discuss the Mark Hankinson trial and the verdict that said ‘GUILTY’ – guilty as hell, of course you and your huntsman friends were educating the lower ranks on how to throw a smokescreen around illegal fox hunting.  We are talking about COP 26, the global climate summit which is set against a recent analysis that found a 99.99% scientific consensus that the climate crisis has been caused by us (take that Nigel Lawson you idiot climate change denier) and that we have just a few years left to sort out – well, sort out everything: COP 26 really does represent humanity drinking in the last chance saloon - with Boris Johnson playing the role of chummy ‘pub landlord’.  We name our Heroes and Villians of course, and give shoutouts to the Emily Williamson Festival, the National Trust AGM, and Dominic's 'State of the Earth' panel debate at COP 26. But we begin with some thoughts on Sir David Amess, the MP for Southend West who was murdered on the 15th of October...The Guardian  Obituary Sir David AmessRupert Evelyn, ITV News  Mark Hankinson: Leading UK huntsman found guilty of telling others how to hunt illegally League Against Cruel Sports  Guilty! And now it’s time to strengthen the Hunting Act, Hunt Saboteurs Association Website The Guardian The heat is on: from the Arctic to Africa, wildlife is being hit hard by climate chaos Derbyshire Against The Cull Voices from the Cull Zone (podcast)Emily Williamson Festival (12 -13 November) Website National Trust Annual General Meeting 2021COP 26 State of the Earth Panel Debate (chaired by Dominic Dyer)

In a feisty episode (feistier than usual, which is saying something!) we (Dominic especially) turn our ire on the Faroe Islands and the UK's Free Trade Agreement with one of the wealthiest island nations in the world; Defra and its appalling handling of  Bovine Tb and Geronimo in particular; the Charity Commission for leaking a non-event complaint about Operation Ark and Pen Farthing; and the Labour Party for seemingly ignoring animals and wildlife at its Party Conference. In his weekly analysis, Charlie slates the disgusting pheasant-killing season and the appalling shooting industry. In Heroes and Villains, we praise Derbyshire Against the Cull and the League Against Cruel Sports, and slam Sainsbury's and the pesticide industry in the wake of a report by Pesticide Action Network. Finally, we give shoutouts to Dominic's e-petition and next weekend's march against the Grind and Taiji, the Wildlife Trusts for their badger petition, and Leicestershire Against the Cull who are raising funds for a thermal imaging camera. Petition Suspend trade agreement with Faroe Islands until all whale & dolphin hunts end Daily Mirror Supermarkets urged to stop selling Faroe Islands seafood after dolphin slaughterThe Independent   Geronimo the alpaca’s owner claims new test results show he did not have TBITV News Pen Farthing supporters 'really angry' as Charity Commission examines Afghanistan evacuation effortWild Justice  Today is the opening day of the Pheasant-shooting seasonLeague Against Cruel Sports   Website, Twitter feed, and Facebook pageDerbyshire Against the Cull  Twitter feed and Facebook PagePesticide Action Network  The 'dirty dozen'Wildlife Trusts Petition  UK Government - speed up badger & cattle vaccinationsLeicestershire Against the Cull  Thermal Imaging Camera Appeal 

When we started these podcasts we both had a slight concern that there might not be enough going on to do an episode every week. We should have known better – actually we really should have known better because we’ve been working on this stuff for years. There are apparently no limits to humanity’s war with wildlife and the environment, and a case in point this week is the Grind, the disgusting slaughter of cetaceans in the Faeroe Islands, which Dominic discusses in-depth, suggesting that suspending the UK's free trade agreement with the Islands is key.  Dominic also gives an update on Nowzad and Pen Farthing. Charlie talks about the National Trust and so-called trail hunting. We have a shortcast from Luke Steele of Wild Moors. And we’ll be naming our heroes (including Sea Shepherd and 'Stop the Stink') and villains and giving shoutouts to a march in London, a discussion and webinar on the badger cull, and a Whale and Dolphin Conservation petition 'Lockdown Never Ends' which is aimed at the TUI Group .Dominic Dyer  Daily Mail opinion piece on the GrindTrade between UK and Faeroe Islands September 2021 pdfNowzad Operation Ark updateThe War on Wildlife Project National Trust and trail hunting 101League Against Cruel Sports Trail huntingWild Moors  Standard Life snaps up moorland estate for rewilding in net-zero drive Stop the Stink websiteHerts and Middx Badger Group 'Voices for Badgers' webinarWhale and Dolphin Conservation Lockdown never ends – tell TUI to stop supporting captivity

Another special episode (as we suggested last week), this time focussing on Geronimo the Alpaca. Not an 'inside story' as such (though Dominic was of course heavily involved), instead we’re going to approach the subject in a slightly more tangential way – asking why did the media get so interested in what could have been just yet another bovine TB story, and what can we learn from that about promoting other campaigns;  looking at how Geronimo and Helen Macdonald have done so much to re-awaken the debate about bovine TB and the badger cull; and of course we talk about the self-inflicted mess that Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has found itself in – referencing a well-attended protest that took place outside Defra's London offices last week.BBC News  Geronimo the alpaca: Who is he and why did he hit the headlines?Off the Leash Podcasts   Geronimo Defra Protest (27:07)Spectator TV Is an animal's life worth as much as a human's? (YouTube)BBC News Badger Cull New control areas despite cull phase-outHelen Macdonald Twitter feedIain McGill Twitter feedKevin O'Sullivan Twitter feed

In this one-off special episode we focus exclusively on the inside story of 'Operation Ark', the campaign set up by Afghanistan-based animal rescue charity Nowzad to evacuate its staff and animals from Kabul as the city fell to the Taliban. In a remarkable two week period social media lit up as people everywhere demanded action to get Nowzad staff and their animals out of danger;  British media first embraced former marine and  Nowzad founder Pen Farthing then turned against him as a government minister and his special advisor spun what had always been a humanitarian rescue mission into a false argument about putting 'pets before people'; and with an aircraft ready to fly into Kabul Airport the story became a race against time to land as air corridors shifted and the few remaining troops that controlled access to entrance gates and landing strips were pulled out.While all this was taking place, Off the Leash's Dominic Dyer found himself becoming the public face of Operation Ark,  explaining the same points over again on multiple TV and radio appearances and - in increasingly frustrated and exasperated tones - on his own social media platforms. Operation Ark continues to work for the evacuation of all Nowzad staff, but with at least Pen Farthing and many of the charity's animals safe Dominic can now look back on a tumultuous fortnight, the barriers he came up against, and the extraordinarily compassionate and courageous people he found himself fighting for. As he explains in this podcast he initially had no idea how consuming the battle to 'rescue the animal rescuers' would be but felt compelled to do whatever he could because, as he reflects, "if you're fortunate enough to be part of a team like that, make the most of it - that's what makes life worth living".Nowzad Website and FacebookNowzad Operation Ark updatesPen Farthing Twitter feed

Last week was notable for three things: an alpaca named Geronimo,  a report that led the UN secretary-general António Guterres, to call it a “code red for humanity”, and the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan. We discuss all three. We also have a shortcast from veterinary scientist Iain McGill (who has done so much work exposing the government's failed 'test and slaughter' BovineTB policy), and raw audio from Dominic on the 'Rescue the Animal Rescuers' campaign. Charlie has a close look at a petition which it turns out wants 'animal rights protestors' kept off farms. In Heroes and Villains we praise the animal welfare teams working in Kabul, and slate the politicians that made such a mess of last week.  In our 'Shoutout' we give the link to donate to Nowzad, Pen Farthing's animal rescue centre in Afghanistan.The Independent  Geronimo's owner says she has 'new hope' IPCC Sixth Assessment ReportThe Guardian  Denialism, Anti-vaxxers,  and the climate crisisNowzad (winning the war for animals) website and Donate pageThe Mayhew Afghanistan

In this episode we focus on the government's mess of a BovineTb 'strategy' that has seen so many negative headlines this week as Defra Minister George Eustice threatens to have Geronimo the alpaca killed (Dominic explains the situation from a behind the scenes perspective) and a coalition of animal welfare organisations submit more information on the badger cull to the Bern Convention. We made it out of our lockdown shelters to join Oxfordshire Badger Group at Wytham Woods (and our first shortcast comes from that visit courtesy of Oxon Badgers chair Juila Hammett).  Away from badgers, Charlie highlights a report by Rewilding Britain which details what area of our National Parks are given over to grouse shooting and excoriates the vile 'tradition' of cubbing - training hunting hounds by setting them on fox cubs. In Heroes and Villains, we thank  Helen Macdonald  (Geronimo's owner) for her stance and the 'Seven Sisters' acquitted of aggravated trespass charges brought by HS2, and we name Defra and the trustees of the Science Museum as our villains. Lastly, we have a second shortcast, this time from Jack Wootton, founder of the Forgotten Fish Project.The Sun  Boris Johnson condemns Geronimo the alpaca to death Badger Trust  Wildlife groups allege breach of international treaty obligationsOxfordshire Badger group  website and Twitter feedRewilding Britain  intensively-managed grouse moors cover over three-quarters of a million acres of Britain’s national parks The War on Wildlife Project  Cubbing | An autumn sicknessNorth West Hunt Sabs  Cub Hunting and how to sab themHS2 Rebelion  Seven sisters acquitted after all charges dismissedCulture Unstained  Science Museum signed Shell “gagging clause”Forth Rivers Trust The Forgotten Fish ProjectThe War on Wildlife Project  European Eels - slipping towards extinction?

Our second episode of season two starts with a discussion of Henry Dimbleby's National Food Strategy and a look at Earth Overshoot Day (which this year fell in July).  We have a new team member - Lisa Marley introduces herself in a shortcast.  Charlie talks about August 7th's upcoming Hen Harrier Day, and Bob Berzins follows up with a shortcast about the harassment and intimidation he faces for speaking out about wildlife crime on grouse moors. In Heroes and Villains  we praise Luke Steele and Wild Moors for their work with Yorkshire Water,  student and artist Giuditta Migiani for her superb badger pictograms, and the RNLI (not a charity normally in our focus but Nigel Farage's comments were just plain stupid); our Villians of the Week are the organisers of the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show for banning Action Against Foxhunting and the regressive 'countryside lobbyists' who want to water down animal welfare and animal sentience legislation.  Finally, in our 60 Second Shoutout we flag up our own expanding collection of shortcasts and a Defra consultation on extending the Ivory Act to cover all ivory-bearing species.National Food Strategy The PlanEarth Overshoot Day Press-releaseLisa Marley website and Twitter feedWild Justice Hen Harrier DayRaptor Persecution UK   Bob Berzins guest post: Organised crime, harassment & intimidation – another day on the grouse moorsThe War on Wildlife Project 'Snared' by Bob Berzins Book ReviewWild Moors website and Twitter feed Giuditta Migiani website and Twitter feedRNLI website and Twitter feedAction Against Foxhunting  AAF banned from Gillingham and Shaftesbury ShowDefra consultation  Extending the Ivory Act

Back after our summer break, season two kicks off with a withering look at the lack of animal welfare in the horse- and greyhound-racing industries. We then turn our focus on the National Trust and its support for so-called 'trail hunting' - a cover for illegal foxhunting (which includes a shortcast from Rob Pownall of Keep the Ban). Charlie tells the dog whistlers yelling 'woke' to wake the heck up.  In 'Hero and Villain' we thank campaigners at Camp Beagle and swift nestbox manufacturer John Stimpson, and pour scorn on Ian Botham's declaration of war on the RSPB and the 'penis rockets' of Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson. In 60 Second Shoutout, we highlight the new shortcasts we've recently uploaded (and introduce a new one from author and campaigner Mary Colwell), flag up Peter Egan's petition to have laboratory animals included in the Animal Welfare Act and Maggie Wilcox's petition on free-roaming cats (and we have our third shortcast of the episode from Maggie herself). Finally, Dominic trails the Oxford Badger Group 'Badger Picnic' he will be talking at. Animal Aid investigation into horse racing industryFounder of The Citro Glen Black shortcastThe War on Wildlife Project National Trust and Trail Hunting 2021Podcast – Interview: Nick Weston, Head of Campaigns League Against Cruel SportsKeep the Ban website and Twitter feedProtesting animal experimentation  Camp Beagle BBC News John Stimpson and his Swift NestboxesThe War on Wildlife Project  Botham declares war on the RSPBMary Colwell's Curlew Media website and book 'Beak, Tooth and Claw'Peter Egan petition:  Change the law to include laboratory animals in the Animal Welfare ActMaggie Wilcox petition:  Keep cats safe and save wild livesOxford Badger Group 'Badger Picnic' on August 1st

Our tenth episode opens with a rolling discussion and personal anecdotes that take in unprecedented heat in North America, visiting Exxon-Mobil's HQ in Houston, peak air travel, commuting, the Eye of Fire, and the climate emergency. Charlie takes a chunk out of BBC Bitesize for writing that there were 'benefits' to climate chaos. In Hero and Villian we applaud Emily Williamson (and the Plumage Act) and Greenpeace UK for uncovering Exxon-Mobil's lobbying of the US government, and we take aim at Exxon-Mobil, Phil 'the Gurning Deer Killer' Spencer, and the Common Agricultural Policy for helping destroy Europe's biodiversity.  In 60 Second Sell (or should that be '60 Second Shoutout'?) we hear from ecologist Robyn Murphy about her petition to the JNCC (about their proposal to remove protection from widespread species of reptiles and amphibians) and flag up 10-year-old Bailey Woozeer's petition to introduce a yearly fundraising day for animals in school.Byline Times | Dominic Dyer   The Government Must Face Down Big Business & Put Nature FirstChannel Four   Revealed: ExxonMobil’s lobbying war on climate change legislationCNN Video   See massive 'eye of fire' burn in Gulf of MexicoThe Guardian   BBC removes Bitesize page on climate change ‘benefits’ after backlashBBC News    Emily Williamson: Centenary of victory to be marked with statueEmily Williamson   A statue for Emily Williamson Greenpeace UK newsletter   UnearthedThe Sun   Location, Location, Location viewers switch off as ‘psycho’ trophy hunting vid of host Phil Spencer surfacesBirdLife Europe  EU countries take giant step towards killing natureRobyn Murphy petition  Keep all widespread species of amphibian and reptile in S5 & 8 of the WCA 1981 Bailey Woozeer petition   Introduce a yearly fundraising day for animals in schools

In our ninth episode, we talk about the decision by clothing manufacturer Canada Goose to stop using (Coyote) fur in its products. We discuss (in deliberately non-graphic terms) the dog meat trade and the Yulin 'festival' and focus on the role of activists in Asia:  our first guest audio comes from Dr Peter Li, China Policy Specialist at Humane Society International, who has visited Yulin many times and offers an optimistic perspective.  Charlie discusses grouse moor licencing - declaring it as 'licencing slaughter'. In Hero and Villian, Dominic nominates campaigner Emily Lawrence and the campaigners who pressured Canada Goose,  Charlie nominates activists on the ground in East Asia. For our villains, Dominic tears into the UK Fur Industry, and Charlie slates Veolia UK for destroying precious nesting habitat next to Rainham Marshes. Finally, we highlight an event at Vale Wildlife Hospital, the War on Wildlife Project's management of an 'equipment fund' for monitors on the ground tackling the 'war on wildlife, and discuss our own ‘Guests Off the Leash’ plans.The Guardian  Canada Goose fashion brand to stop using fur by end of 2022Humane Society International  Dog Meat TradeBlog on HSA website  Chinese advocates lead the fight against Yulin’s dog meat tradeThe War on Wildlife Project  Grouse Moors | Licencing SlaughterDominic Mitchell  Veolia UK destroys grassland habitat (on Twitter)The Citro  Journalism on the persecution and defence of wildlifeVale Wildlife Hospital  Open Day 2021The War on Wildlife Project Equipment Fund