Owner of Geronimo the alpaca reveals she has been having bereavement counselling for two years after it was put down after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis
- Helen Macdonald, 52, lost a fight to keep her pet alive when he was killed in 2021
- She revealed she has been getting counselling ever since his untimely death
The owner of Geronimo the alpaca has revealed she has been having bereavement counselling for two years after the animal was put down.
Helen Macdonald, 52, lost a four-year fight to keep her beloved pet alive when he was put down by Government vets in August 2021 over disputed claims that he had bovine tuberculosis.
She has been unable to work since 2017 after Defra issued a movement restriction on her farm and has been getting counselling ever since his death.
Helen told the Mirror: ‘I miss him every day. He’s never far from my mind. I have nightmares about what it was like for him, being tortured. I get counselling as I still relive what happened.’
The eight-year-old champion alpaca, who was born in New Zealand before being brought to Britain, was consigned for slaughter after he twice tested positive for bTB in 2017.
Geronimo’s owner Helen Macdonald (pictured), 52, has revealed she has been having bereavement counselling for two years after the animal was put down
Helen lost a four-year fight to keep her beloved pet (pictured) alive when he was put down by Government vets in August 2021 over disputed claims that he had bovine tuberculosis
Miss Macdonald has always disputed the results of the bTB test – but the legal battle concluded with a High Court ruling in July 2021 that he should be destroyed.
In August that year, Defra officials and dozens of police officers forced their way on to Miss Macdonald’s farm to take Geronimo away.
She said Avon and Somerset Police had questions to answer for ‘facilitating murder’ and accused Defra of ‘bully boy tactics’ that are ‘frankly unforgivable’.
Miss Macdonald has a herd of alpacas that she uses to make luxury products including scarves and pashminas at her farm.
She started breeding the animals 19 years ago. Geronimo, a pedigree alpaca worth £15,000, had won competitions in New Zealand for his jet black wool.
Leading vets had demanded the Environment Secretary ‘commute Geronimo’s death sentence’ so he could be studied instead of slaughtered.
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