Geronimo

The animal rights people, although well meaning, were the reason that this poor creature had to be removed to be put down. The noise and the general commotion caused a lot of stress and fear for Geronimo. They obviously are oblivious to animal stress levels, or simply don't know anything about animals per se! My sister in law, as a little girl, had TB in her leg bone, caused by unpasteurised milk. She survived but was very poorly for a very long time. I think Geronimo could have been a carrier, but that's only what I read.

Oldwoman70 For pets, breeding or otherwise I don’t think animals should be transported via planes/ships/trains/trucks unless absolutely necessary.
I do try to make sure my own food is local too , I eat British meat and dairy where possible from the supermarket and local farms. It isn’t perfect, and I'm unlikely to become vegetarian at my age, but I don’t think that animal should have been imported.
That poor animal went from a hot and sub tropical NZ climate to a cool one, a long international flight and quarantine then euthanised after a frightened struggle.

I understand that some farmers though that there wasn't any reason to destroy him. I'm thinking that he was killed to save face.

Feel sad about Geronimo but I suppose it is better than him becoming more ill and infecting other animals.
His last hours sound traumatic thanks to protesters. They did him no favours.

I don’t know the ins and outs of whether he should have been euthanised but it should have been done as stress free as possible.

maddyone

It’s a shame that there were so many ‘animal rights’ people there as it seems to me that the poor alpaca was probably made more jumpy and distressed than he would be been had his usual home been calm and peaceful as it usually was, so that he could have been put to sleep in his own home.

I totally agree. How awful for him to have such a traumatic end to his life. He had to be euthanised. I am sure his owner must have realised that.

Yes Maddyone that would have been a far better situation for the Alpaca.

It’s a shame that there were so many ‘animal rights’ people there as it seems to me that the poor alpaca was probably made more jumpy and distressed than he would be been had his usual home been calm and peaceful as it usually was, so that he could have been put to sleep in his own home.

She wanted to breed from a tuberculoid animal?

Peasblossom

I’m with Dillythe gardener.

An animal shouldn’t be flown halfway around the world just so someone can have a pet.

That must have been a pretty distressing journey.

He wasn't a pet - he was bought for breeding

A bit if information on bovine TB.

Giggles it can take several years to develop to a stage where the animal becomes ill. During that time the animal is still highly infectious.

Although it’s called bovine TB it infects a wide range of animals, including digs and cats. Wildlife is particularly vunerable since those animals can roam the fields where the infected animal grazes. Contact isn’t important. The infection is in the urine and faeces and hence in the soil and grass.

Humans can be infected too, through contact and in the air. The infection is expelled in the animals breath.

When I was young, a number of people in my village had TB in varying forms. In the lungs and in tuberculoid sores. It came from working with animals and passed on in families. Vigilance by DEFRA and farmers, who understand the risk, has reduced human infection to minimal levels.

If the owner had been more compliant, surely the alpaca could have been euthanised on site, without the need or it to be dragged onto a trailer?

DEFRA has rules, which this owner has thwarted for four years.

I’m with Dillythe gardener.

An animal shouldn’t be flown halfway around the world just so someone can have a pet.

That must have been a pretty distressing journey.

And if the one more test was positive like the last three) then just one more? Or keep going till one of them turns up negative?

How many negatives outweigh three positive. Just the one?

I’m quite upset by this. Poor animal was distressed at being dragged off. Apparently if he did have TB back when he was originally tested, he’d have been dead by now. Why couldn’t they just have had one more test?! ?

People only care about animals who are “worth” something. Sad. Alpacas aren’t bovines at the end of the day and the test not proven appropriate. Horrible “computer says no “attitude.

Poor thing look totally distressed if it has to be done this was not the way to do it

Yes, it’s despicable! He really didn’t want to go with them either, having to be dragged off. He wouldn’t have looked so healthy, after four years if he was infected. Disgraceful Defra.

Yes Beckett, I gathered this is why they took the animal away because of the threats of the supporters.
Farmers, whose animals are worse far more, accept the necessity for their herds to be slaughtered for the protection of others.

This could have been carried out on site with little stress to the animal. It was the owner and her misguided supporters who caused the problem which meant he had to be taken away

The poor thing looked terrified. Surely they could have taken it to a quiet barn and done the deed.

They couldn't do it at home as the owner has cameras . I do agree though that the animal did seem agitated .It's dreadful all round, badly handled, in fact.

I think for the sake of both pet owners and farmers that the testing process must be transparent. Farmers especially livelihoods depend on it.
On another note, I thought the way the animal was removed from the farm was not in the animals best interest, it was clearly distressed and upset. But I understand the owner’s last ditch attempt to save it. I really disagree with pets being imported though, it should never have left the country.

A shame it wasn’t done ‘at home’, I understand he was taken away somewhere. Sadly vast numbers of cattle have to be slaughtered each year due to bovine TB, wiping out whole herds and farmers’ livelihoods as I gather the compensation isn’t great. So I think it was inevitable.

Interesting to hear the vocabulary used by the B.B.C. (BBC2 )reporter, who said he had been killed , whereas the 1 o'clock news said he had been put down.