Badgers and their setts are protected by the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. Interfering with a sett without a licence is an offence.
If you are concerned about a dog that has entered or become trapped in a badger sett, do not attempt to extract the dog by digging or otherwise interfering with the sett as this is illegal. Digging into a sett can cause tunnels and chambers to collapse, posing a serious threat to the dog and any badgers in the sett.
In most cases dogs will leave the sett of their own accord after a while.
A period of 48 hours would have to pass before a licence from Natural England could be considered. Contact the Natural England Wildlife Licensing Unit (0845 6014523) or Natural Resources Wales (0300 0653000) for more information.
If you are unable to get hold of them, contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234999. You can also check for a local badger group in your area to contact for advice and possible assistance. See the map of local groups.
Please note that police and other emergency services do not have powers to interfere with badger setts.
If you have found a dog in or at a sett and you suspect illegal sett interference, please report this as sett interference.