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Alpaca Geronimo: The dispute continues
Photo: Jacob King / dpa
This dispute preoccupied the United Kingdom for weeks, and apparently the debate is far from over: The alpaca Geronimo, euthanized because of a highly contagious bovine tuberculosis, was very healthy before his death - at least that is what the lawyers of Geronimo's owner claim, as the Guardian reports.
Accordingly, the preliminary autopsy findings checked by veterinarians show that no so-called lesions were found on the body of the euthanized animal.
"There are no white or cream-colored, cheesy, enlarged abscesses that are typical of bovine tuberculosis in alpacas," it said.
The case may not be that clear, however, according to the report, the Ministry of the Environment promptly contradicted: Geronimo had found a whole series of corresponding lesions that were now being investigated further.
A full report should therefore not be available until the end of the year - until then, the Geronimo case will probably remain unresolved on a central point.
140,000 people campaigned for the animal
The claim that the now world-famous alpaca is said to have been healthy comes as a surprise: two tests, at least so it was said so far, had proven the disease.
The owner of the alpaca, Helen Macdonald, had always rejected this and requested another, more precise test.
A court finally ruled against Geronimo and ordered the animal to be euthanized.
Geronimo was killed at the end of August after a week-long dispute - according to the Department of Agriculture in London, the aim is to curb the spread of dangerous and contagious bovine tuberculosis.
In order to protect Geronimo, alpaca breeders, residents and activists had come to Macdonald's farm in the weeks before and guarded the animal.
More than 140,000 people had signed a petition calling for the animal to be saved.
"Their behavior was disgusting, repulsive and cruel, and utterly disregarded Geronimo's welfare."
Sue Loach, British Alpaca Society
In any case, the debate about Geronimo's fate is far from over. Immediately after the news that the animal was dead, the Association of British Alpaca Breeders sharply criticized the authorities' handling of the animal. The staff of the animal and plant health authority had treated the alpaca "shamefully and hideously" when they confiscated it, wrote the head of the British Alpaca Society, Sue Loach, in an open letter to the Ministry of the Environment. She called for those responsible to be suspended and an investigation opened.
Several officials had captured Geronimo under police protection on the farm of his owner in Wickwar, western England, and dragged him into a trailer.
Loach accused them of handling the animal completely improperly.
"Their behavior was disgusting, repulsive and cruel and completely disregarded Geronimo's welfare." Under considerable stress, Geronimo was pushed onto the trailer and tied up there.
“It is also well documented that alpacas sit down during transport.
Geronimo, however, was tied up like a horse, «says Loach.
According to its own information, the Alpaca Society has 2000 members in Great Britain and keeps records of around 40,000 small camels registered nationwide.
mxw / dpa
