Five men who deny terrorising a badger sett with dogs, have been banned from taking their dogs more than a mile from their home.
The five are also accused of failing to properly treat their injured dogs. They are one of the first groups in Scotland to be charged under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.
Kevin Andrews, 28, of Hurlford, Adam Lennon, 21, of Kilmarnock and Greig Withers, 21, of Kilmarnock, all Ayrshire, along with Scott Collins, 19, of West Calder and Derek Kelly, 22, of Bathgate, both West Lothian, all deny charges under the badger protection act, the protection of wild mammals act and the protection of animals act.
They are accused of digging into a sett sending a dog into it, disturbing a badger, deliberately hunting a wild animal and blocking the sett in Balerno, Edinburgh on August 20.
Scott Collins also faces charges of failing to get veterinary help for his two dogs, causing them unnecessary suffering. Lennon and Withers are also charged with causing their dogs unnecessary suffering by baiting a badger.
They also face charges of causing dogs unnecessary suffering and failing to get veterinary help for them. The charges follow a joint operation between the Scottish SPCA and police.
