The devastating floods in parts of northern England have resulted in a massive collaborative effort to save the lives and property of those affected (‘We never thought that this could happen again’, 7 December). But amid the understandable concern for these human victims, we must also remember the hundreds – possibly thousands – of animals that will perish, largely unremarked upon.
As in the spring of 2013, when heavy snow and freezing weather led to the traumatic deaths of more than 100,000 animals – mostly sheep – the latest flood victims have received virtually no mention in any of the national media. And even in the online farming press, there are just sketchy accounts that are devoid of any mention of welfare impacts. They amount to a brief audit of losses.
The public should give up the idea that it is “natural” to leave sheep out in fields and on hills, even in brutal winter and summer weather. The reality is that their lives are harsh, their suffering is considerable and, unless they die beforehand, their last terrifying moments are in a slaughterhouse.
Being upset by their plight is the compassionate response, but to make a difference, please consider adopting a humane, vegan diet.
Andrew Tyler
Director, Animal Aid
• “After [David Cameron] took office in 2010, annual funding for flood defences was slashed by 27%”, with Labour’s surge in funding in response to the 2007 floods “halted by the coalition in 2010”. (Analysis, 8 December). Many examples of Tory cuts or undelivered flood defences are cited in this article. And the devastation wrought by Storm Desmond has been matched by the relentless slashing of budgets across the board, almost entirely in the name of Osborne’s austerity craze. As ever, those who can pay are blind to this wanton excess of destruction, so “Cameron has visited Cumbria” but, beyond a photo opportunity, will offer his usual sticking plaster to contain the floods. And ministers from all departments will continue their hi-vis tours of enfeebled and depleted police forces, jobcentres, schools, care homes and hospitals where corridors serve as wards. Ignoring the irony, they do like a busy foodbank where they can praise the volunteer spirit of their citizens and rest easy in the knowledge that everyone’s doing their bit.
Carolyn Kirton
Aberdeen
• It’s not just that, in the words of your editorial’s headline, “Flood defences are a higher priority than another runway” (8 December): it’s that the latter would increase the need for the former.
Jem Whiteley
Oxford
• Your editorial, George Monbiot’s article (Do little, hide the evidence: the official neglect that caused these deadly floods, 8 December) and your reports on the Cumbrian emergency – and the recent history of flooding elsewhere – must now show everyone that climate change poses at least as great a threat to the security of the UK as any recent sporadic terrorism.
In the face of this threat, where is the sense of urgency; the immediate parliamentary debate, the action plan and mobilisation of effective resources both national, local and international required to defeat such a fundamental attack on the safety, livelihood and wellbeing of every potentially threatened community throughout these islands?
Michael Poulter
Stafford
• How I do agree with George Monbiot and the letter from Peter Shaw about beavers (8 December). Here on the southern edge of the North York Moors national park we don’t have beavers, but we do have the Slowing the Flow project, which was visited by Elisabeth Truss recently. Although she praised the innovative ideas of the statutory bodies as well as the national park, she has only spoken of more and more flood defences in towns over the last few days. As part of the work was done by volunteers, I would have thought that this was an ideal opportunity for a Tory minister to put her money where her mouth was some months ago.
Janice Gwilliam
Norton, North Yorkshire
• There must surely be someone in government or the Environment Agency who has common sense enough to cure the flooding problem. Unless flood barriers are placed along rivers from near the source to the sea, the problem is merely moved downstream. The only logical solution is to create new flood plains, to replace those that have been stupidly built on over the centuries. These should be new reservoirs, with concrete run offs to them, constructed on the outer bends of rivers, placed upstream from all towns etc prone to flooding. As soon as rivers reach a certain height, they would start to fill. The potential uses for such reservoirs, from leisure activities to fish farming, to watercress beds are endless, not to mention the increasingly valuable extra water supply, which will be saved and could be exported to regions affected by drought.
Edward Lyon
Sandown, Isle of Wight
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