News / Animals
Geronimo the alpaca has been killed
After a four-year battle to save him finally failed, Geronimo the alpaca has been killed.
Four vets from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) were accompanied by around ten police officers as they arrived at the farm near Bristol.
In front of a small group of supporters, Geronimo was removed from Shepherds Close Farm in Wickwar and taken to an undisclosed location to be put down.
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Defra confirmed that Geronimo had been euthanised by staff from the Animal & Plant Health Agency (Apha) as a “necessary measure to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis” (bTB), which he had twice tested positive for.
More than 130,000 people had signed a petition calling for Geronimo to be spared, with his owner Helen Macdonald calling for a human shield to station themselves around his pen in south Gloucestershire.
A high court judge ruled against Macdonald’s legal fight to save the six-year-old alpaca, with the government saying that Geronimo had to be culled.
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Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: “This is a terribly sad situation and our sympathies remain with all those affected by this devastating disease.
“No one wants to have to cull infected animals if it can be avoided, but we need to follow the scientific evidence and cull animals that have tested positive for bTB to minimise spread of this insidious disease and ultimately eradicate the biggest threat to animal health in this country.”
Macdonald said that her alpaca had been taken “forcibly”, adding that the government “have refused to engage in good faith”.
“Now we know they were not only ignoring our consistent please for constructive dialogue but had no intention of engaging with us. In fact, all the time they were simply planning to murder Geronimo,” BBC News reported.
Avon & Somerset Police said earlier on Tuesday: “We can confirm officers are in attendance at a farm in the Wickwar area of South Gloucestershire this morning to support the Animal & Plant Health Agency, who are executing a court warrant.
“We’ll always support our partner agencies to carry out their lawful duties, and our role is to prevent a breach of the peace and to ensure public safety is protected.”
Main photo: Nest
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