the alpaca story that divides the UK

Helene Macdonald, a woman owner of a six-year-old alpaca named Gerónimo, sentenced after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis, received the support of thousands of Englishmen to oppose the sacrifice of their animal, on an issue which today divides the society of UK.

An online petition for “Save Geronimo”, whose fate has been flowing rivers of ink for several days, had collected until yesterday more than 81,000 signatories, added to thousands more who, although they did not vote, support the idea that the animal is still alive.

At the moment of being brought back from his native New Zealand Four years ago, the camelid underwent four negative skin tests.

However, in the UK he underwent two blood tests and a skin test, all positive, prompting the plant health authorities to order the animal to be sacrificed, which should take place in the first days of September.

“The Gerónimo alpaca must die”

Although the Minister of the Environment, Georges eustice, stressed Thursday the high reliability of the tests carried out, did not convince Macdonald, breeder in Gloucestershire, southwest of England, who accuses him of “lies” and of wanting to “kill a healthy animal”.

According to the woman, “since 2016, we know that these tests produce false positives if an alpaca receives more than two injections of tuberculin in 12 months ”.

The affair grew to such an extent that it went as far as Downing street, the center of British government, which He refused to grant Geronimo an adjournment. “I’m sorry, but Geronimo has to die,” Eustice told the Daily Mail.

“We know how much the loss of animals due to bovine tuberculosis is disturbing for breeders“, said the spokeswoman for the Prime Minister on Friday. Boris JohnsonBut “the Minister of the Environment has examined this case very carefully and has confirmed all the elements with veterinary experts,” he continued.

“Unfortunately, Geronimo has tested positive twice using very specific, reliable and validated tests, ”said the spokesperson.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, these tests have 0.36% chance of producing a false positive bovine tuberculosis, the disease of which Gerónimo is “accused”.

Bovine tuberculosis is an insidious disease. It is difficult to detect as it grows slowly and often there are no obvious symptoms. It can hide in the environment for several months and become embedded in the badger population. One of the lessons of the post-war years is that the detection and removal of infected cattle from herds is critical to the eventual success of widespread treatments.

But her owner does not give up, and has already announced that she will try to prevent them from removing her from her farm: “She does not have any (bovine tuberculosis), and the saddest thing is that They won’t know until I die. “

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