Badgers and their setts are a protected species by the law. This makes it illegal to kill, injure or interfere with them or their sett in any way, even if they are damaging your property.
Badgers frequently forage for food, and as residential areas continue to expand badgers are living closer to built-up areas and sometimes can result in damage to gardens or local land. This might include damage to fences, digging up lawns for food, breaking branches on trees while climbing them, and digging latrines (dung pits) in the earth to mark their territories.
There are a few things you can do to avoid this from happening to you home or land.
Protection of Badgers Act 1992
Under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 you could be sent to prison and fined if you are found guilty of any of the following offences:
- Intentionally capture, kill or injure a badger
- Damage, destroy or block access to their setts
- Disturb badgers in setts
- Treat a badger cruelly
- Deliberately send or intentionally allow a dog into a sett
- Bait or dig for badgers
Natural England is licensed England to control badgers for the purpose of preventing the spread of disease by culling, taking of badgers or interference with badger setts.
Due to this protection the council are not able to provide any pest control services for Badgers.
Contact Us
Opening hours: Monday to Friday - 8.45am to 5pm
Offices are closed on weekends and bank holidays
Find us on Google Maps