Geronimo’s grieving owner pleading with govt to leave the rest of alpacas alone
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Geronimo's grieving owner is pleading with Government vets to leave the rest of her alpaca herd alone.
Farmer Helen Macdonald fears Defra officials will use the same tests she claims produced false positives for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Geronimo – and then cull her other animals.
The alpaca breeder and veterinary nurse told the Daily Star there was “no reason to expect they won’t try and force the… testing of Geronimo’s companions or indeed the rest of my herd”.
She added: “Normal protocol should mean that unless they can prove bTB by a positive culture result from Geronimo, they must immediately lift movement restrictions and finally leave me alone.”
She said that there would be “no justification for them to touch any of my other animals”.
Helen, 50, was left sobbing on Tuesday as police and hazmat-suited Defra officers took Geronimo away for execution. He was destroyed following two positive bTB tests.
It followed a lengthy legal battle with the animal's owner threatening to do everything in her power to block the execution.
Geronimo the alpaca to be killed after owner loses last-ditch appeal to save him
Helen is also angry that she wasn’t allowed to send an independent vet to witness the post-mortem examination on Geronimo, which has now been completed by Defra officials.
She accused the government of "concealing its processes" after being refused permission to observe the post-mortem.
Helen said "hitmen ripped the animal" from her farm near Bristol and "tortured him in plain sight".
Geronimo the alpaca's life 'safe for now' after being condemned to death
Defra said it could not accommodate the distraught alpaca owner's request.
Helen tweeted: "Citing Covid and security reasons are appallingly weak excuses to block an independent observer to the post-mortem of Geronimo."
Defra said it will share the results of the post-mortem with her once they are complete, which could take up to three months.
Geronimo twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, and Defra ordered him to be euthanised to stop the spread of the disease.
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