Deadly Counsel

First wild beavers in England for 800 years to be caught and sent to live in a ZOO after ministers decided they are a danger

Beavers living in the Devon countryside are to be rounded up by minsters and sent to live in a zoo, it can be revealed.

Instead of ordering them to be killed, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is trying to find a home for them in captivity, to the anger of wildlife campaigners.

Does this song sound familiar? It’s the same dirge they sang in Scotland when the free beavers of the River Tay came to the attention of the authorities. The first beaver they captured (remember Eric? Who upon examination became Erica?) died quietly in the zoo. And once they realized there were more free beavers than there were zoos/graveyards, they abandoned the idea.

I think I am as mad about this as I am about the Supreme Court’s indefensible decision to allow employers to deny birth control coverage because it’s ‘icky’. Maybe even madder. After the enormous gala all of England (and the world) threw for these plucky beaver volunteers the notion that they’d conclude that welcome home theme with incarceration makes me want to throw plates at parlimaent.

Or at least write letters to Parliament.

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 7032

george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk

You should too.

Wild beavers spotted in Devon to be ‘rehomed’

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said they could be carrying a disease “not currently present in the UK”.

Environment Minister George Eustice said the government was considering “the best way” of rehoming the animals.

I’m serious. Go write the Honorable Eustice and remind him the voters are very good at RE-HOMMING politicians out of office when they implement stupid plans. Let’s make them require an intern to handle all the mail they’re getting over this egregious decision. It’s the least we can do to respond to this traitorous crime.

george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk

You need something good to wash out that very bitter taste. So celebrate Canada Day with Fur Bearer Defender’s program on beavers. (Everyone else is great, but I sound exhausted so I can only assume I must have been doing something very important.)