LONDON — Geronimo the alpaca, the fuzzy-haired creature that British government officials branded a health risk and sentenced to death, was dragged from his enclosure and euthanized Tuesday, sparking fury from animal rights groups and his owner who had fought the decision for years.
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The killing comes after intense debate about the animal’s future and growing attention from high-profile pro-alpaca advocates – including Stanley Johnson, the prime minister’s father, who lobbied last month for the government run by his son to stave off the killing.
Geronimo the alpaca is on death row in England. Brits plan a ‘human shield’ to defend him.
Britain’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed the killing in a statement released Tuesday. The department originally applied for an order for Geronimo’s destruction in 2018 after he tested positive the year before for bovine tuberculosis, an infectious respiratory disease among cattle that can be passed to humans through nasal contact and bodily fluids.
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In photos taken Tuesday, officials are seen arriving at the farm wearing full protective-wear, masks and goggles. They arrived with a police escort. Geronimo was put on a trailer and reportedly taken to an undisclosed location.
To officials, Geronimo was a significant threat who could spread a disease they say is “one of the most significant animal health challenges that England faces today.” To Geronimo’s owner Helen Macdonald, who loved him and his tufts of curly black hair, he posed no risk and should have been retested using the latest equipment — which she claims could have proven he wasn’t infected.
MacDonald, whose legal efforts failed in court, insists the test results returned a false positive because the animal had been given a tuberculin vaccine before testing, which led to antibodies in his system. Before Geronimo was imported to England from New Zealand in 2017, he underwent several skin tests that all returned negative results. Other alpacas who traveled with Geronimo from New Zealand all tested negative, according to media reports.
“The infected animal was moved from the premises and euthanised by staff from the Animal and Plant Health Agency as a necessary measure to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis,” read Tuesday’s DEFRA statement.
Supporters of the animal protested outside 10 Downing Street in early August as they called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene and save Geronimo. Some chanted and carried signs that read “retest not death,” while others formed a human shield around the alpaca’s enclosure on a farm in Gloucestershire, England.
“I am absolutely disgusted by this government. These are barbaric actions. It’s a disgrace,” Macdonald said, adding that said she had received no warning that police officers and DEFRA staff would be arriving at the farm that day to take the animal away.
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“It’s a total load of lies, the testing has never been validated,” Macdonald said of the ruling earlier this month just after Downing Street confirmed that there were “no plans for any further tests.”
Geronimo will, in the end, receive another test – authorities confirmed a post-mortem would be carried out by veterinary pathologists.
Macdonald said she wants an independent witness to be present as officials work to conclude if the animal was indeed infectious. The review could take up to three months, British officials said.
Chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss called the animal’s destruction a “terribly sad situation” and said “our sympathies remain with all those affected by this devastating disease.”
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By Tuesday afternoon local time, “Geronimo” was the top Twitter trend in the United Kingdom as many took to the platform to pay tribute as photos circulated of the alpaca’s final moments.
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A series of images that showed the animal’s mouth bound with rope as he was dragged into a vehicle sparked widespread fury, with wildlife campaigners and pro-alpaca groups condemning the government’s “heartbreaking” actions.
Zoologist and wildlife presenter Megan McCubbin slammed DEFRA and the National Farmer’s Union, branding their actions “disgraceful," and accused authorities of lacking "common sense and compassion.”
Conservationist Chris Packham also joined a growing chorus of criticism for British officials, tweeting that the day was a dark one for DEFRA and The National Farmer’s Union, and “one that will not be forgotten.”
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“Setting aside arguments about the necessity of Geronimo’s death, why did DEFRA officials have to make his final moments on earth so agonising, stressful and traumatic?” read one of many tweets denouncing the actions of the team sent to euthanize the animal.
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