Dorset Badger Vaccination Project (DBVP)
We had a great meeting near Dorchester, with 26 interested possible volunteers turning up.
Good overview of what’s required; hope we didn’t put them off.
If you’re interested in volunteering read below and then get in touch.
————————–
Link to volunteer downloads (downloads here)
Contact Us to be a Volunteer (click here)
————————–
Volunteer Expectations.
Download PDF ( DBVP Volunteer Expectations)
or read below;
The Dorset Badger Vaccination Project is planning vaccination projects around Dorset for 2014 and beyond. Vaccination will take place between June and October; each project, at each area of land, will take about a week to 10 days and will involve at least one qualified lay-vaccinator and several other volunteers. It will involve commitment, hard work and some early morning starts. In the background will also be several other volunteers sorting out equipment, transport, paperwork, fund-raising etc.
We are looking for volunteers.
We have different requirements and expectations for the following types of volunteer;
1. Licenced Vaccinators
2. Field Volunteers (ie experienced sett-surveyors, 4×4 drivers (owners), cage trap setters, Peanut feeders etc)
3. Other Helpers
1. Licenced Vaccinators
Badgers are a protected species under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, and trapping badgers for the purpose of vaccination must be carried out under licence. Additionally, Badger BCG is a prescription-only veterinary medicine; therefore vaccination of badgers by lay people is carried out under the Veterinary Surgery (Vaccination of Badgers against Tuberculosis) Order 2010. Lay vaccinators must possess a valid Certificate of Competence and Licence to vaccinate badgers under Order.
In order to cage trap and vaccinate badgers, an individual must be:
• Accredited – has attended and passed the APHA training course on cage trapping and vaccination of badgers.
• Certified – has applied to APHA and received the Certificate of Competence. This requires the payment of an annual fee.
• Licensed – has applied for and received a Natural England license to trap badgers for the purpose of vaccination. They must already be accredited and certified in order to be issued a license.
Placing traps at appropriate locations is crucial for the effective deployment of vaccine. Therefore, anyone wishing to enrol on the course must be competent in identifying badger setts and other suitable locations.
At least one member of each of our teams must be a trained, certified and licenced lay-vaccinator.
This involves successfully completing a four-day training course, held in Gloucestershire, which allows you to obtain a ‘certificate of competence’, which in turn allows you to obtain a licence.
The licenced member of each DBVP team will take responsibility for deciding where to place the traps, ‘setting’ the traps on the evening before vaccinating, and of course the vaccination itself, and all paperwork that needs completing in order to comply with the licence.
Course Applications:
Applications for the vaccinator course need to be lodged as soon as you know you are committed to the project as the courses get filled and a waiting list established.
Costs:
You will be encouraged to fund the course yourselves (by fundraising if necessary – http://www.GoFundMe.com is an excellent way to raise funds).
The course itself is held in Gloucestershire and will cost about £700, with annual licence cost of about £350 per person.
Dates and further details will be confirmed on the FERA website;
• General info: http://tinyurl.com/lpfrfwh
• Course Info: http://tinyurl.com/o2lw4ls
If this training is done under the banner of DBVP, DEFRA will halve the cost of the course and the annual licence. We (DBVP) will consider paying half of these remaining training costs to help fund individuals, subject to our financial situation at the time. Accommodation costs for the duration of the course will vary depending on personal choice (the cheapest hotel nearby is the Travelodge). We will expect the trainee to pay for your own accommodation.
If you want to be a vaccinator for DBVP then you must discuss with us before signing up for the course.
2. Field Volunteers (ie sett-surveyors, 4×4 drivers (owners), cage trap setters, Peanut feeders etc.)
Although we expect to have at least one qualified lay-vaccinator per team, we will still need lots of help with preparation and with the operation itself.
We need people with relevant experience of surveying badger setts (pre-arranged maps of each sett and each trap location help enormously on the day).
We will need help transporting equipment (ie traps) so a 4×4 and trailer would be great.
We will need help in placing the traps (under the guidance of the licensee).
And we will need people to visit the traps each day in the week prior to the vaccination to place peanuts, and remove any uneaten peanuts.
Then we will need people to help remove and disinfect all of the equipment.
So as you can see there’s a lot to do; and we need people of all skills at all stages.
3. Other helpers.
We also need help from people who want to get involved with the myriad other things that will need doing.
We need volunteers to become committee members, web-site administrators, paperwork-administrators, equipment purchasers, drivers.
We will also need fund-raisers, street-stall holders etc.
If you think you can help please come and join us.
DBVP 