Geronimo’s furious owner brands execution ‘murder’ as battle to save alpaca comes to tragic end
GERONIMO the tragic alpaca was dragged from his paddock today and executed by a team of government officials. The eight-year-old animal, whose plight touched the nation, was shoved in a horsebox and killed with a bolt gun after 25 cops and four Defra agents descended on his farm. Geronimo, who Defra claimed had TB, kicked […]
GERONIMO the tragic alpaca was dragged from his paddock today and executed by a team of government officials.
The eight-year-old animal, whose plight touched the nation, was shoved in a horsebox and killed with a bolt gun after 25 cops and four Defra agents descended on his farm.
Geronimo, who Defra claimed had TB, kicked out and appeared distressed as he was pulled away with a rope round his neck at Wickwar, Gloucs.
His furious owner said the tragic alpaca’s “barbaric” execution was murder.
The eight-year-old animal was dragged to his death by a team of “bully-boy” Defra officials after he tried to make a last dash for freedom.
The Government claims he had TB but Helen Macdonald, 50, said he was perfectly healthy. She previously vowed to “take a bullet” for her beloved alpaca.
Supporters clashed with cops in distressing scenes as Geronimo was pulled away with rope after a 26-day stand-off.
Helen chose to stay away as she was warned she could be arrested. She said later: “These were barbaric actions of unscientific, abusive people in Government and taxpayers are paying for this.
Most read in The Sun
“Paying for assassins. I wasn’t here because I would’ve been prosecuted for obstruction if I failed to catch Geronimo myself.
“I was not going to put my hands on a healthy animal and allow the Government to murder him.
Read our Geronimo the alpaca blog for the latest updates
“My faith in this country has gone. I have no respect for the Government and the vets any more.
“And I hope the judges are happy too — they’re crooks. I’ve been failed by the legal system for four years.
“It’s murder. They took a healthy animal, manipulated a test and killed him after four years of the system letting him and me down.
“They’ve made a martyr of him now. It’s going to be impossible to sleep tonight knowing Geronimo’s not there. I’m heartbroken.”
‘IT’S MURDER’
Police and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs executed a warrant issued after Helen lost a £50,000 High Court battle at the start of August.
It was due to expire on Saturday and supporters camped out in a bid to protect Geronimo.
This morning one was knocked to the ground as 25 cops and four Defra agents stormed into the farm in Wickwar, Gloucs.
Another protester opened a gate to put Geronimo with four other isolating alpacas in an attempt to cause confusion.
But police formed a ring around the Defra officials who dragged five alpacas by rope and scanned them for microchips to ID Geronimo.
One woman was arrested as she fired a super-soaker water gun in the face of one Defra agent.
They have made a martyr of him. My faith in this country has gone
Helen Macdonald
At one point, terrified Geronimo made a last attempt for freedom and kicked himself loose. But he was cornered again and tied down with rope.
The Defra officials, wearing hazmat suits, goggles and masks, then dragged him away with the rope wrapped tightly around his neck. Protesters grabbed the Government agents, with one yelling: “How do you sleep at night?”
The officials then shoved Geronimo in a horsebox, which had its number plate covered up. He swung his head and kicked out before finally being driven away.
The Defra team whizzed off while cops blocked the road with a van and patrol car. Defra confirmed this afternoon Geronimo had been euthanised. It is understood he was killed with a bolt gun.
The animal had twice tested positive for bovine TB after arriving in England from New Zealand in 2017.
However, veterinary nurse Helen argued he had been primed with the protein tuberculin, which produced false results. She pleaded for a third test but Defra refused.
DRAGGED TO HIS DEATH
Celebrities including Olympian Dame Kelly Holmes, actress Joanna Lumley and Springwatch host Chris Packham had backed Geronimo’s fight for survival.
Boris Johnson’s eco-warrior dad Stanley also pleaded in The Sun for Geronimo to be spared — and sent his condolences to Helen today after the news broke.
She is now demanding an independent witness at his post mortem. Helen said: “I am disgusted by Defra’s actions today.
“After a month of subjecting me to the most awful waiting game they turn up and wrestle a perfectly healthy alpaca into a van.
“The bully-boy tactics exhibited are frankly unforgivable. Alpaca farmers across the country will see how I have been treated.
“Avon and Somerset Police have questions to answer over why they agreed to facilitate this murder. They were quite happy to stand by and watch criminals haul down statues and dump them in Bristol harbour. The public cares about Geronimo, too.
The bully-boy tactics exhibited are frankly unforgivable
Helen Macdonald
“How could they be so completely tone deaf? My life and business has been on hold for the duration of this battle.”
General nurse Liz Stacey, 53, said she was briefly arrested today after the water gun incident, and was detained in a police car while Geronimo was taken away.
She told The Sun: “They said, ‘We don’t know what’s in the water pistol’. I said they can take it and test it — it’s water. I just wanted to obstruct what I feel is a crime against an innocent, healthy animal.
“I was in their car when they took Geronimo — in a way I’m glad I didn’t see it. It’s horrible.”
Packham, 60, was among those condemning the killing, tweeting: “A dark day for Defra and NFU (National Farmers’ Union) and one that will not be forgotten.”
He posted a photograph of Geronimo being dragged away with rope and added: “This is Defra . . . please don’t ever forget this photograph.”
DARK DAY FOR DEFRA
Officials claim Geronimo’s death was necessary to control the spread of bovine tuberculosis. Defra said today: “A court warrant has been used today to enter premises for the purposes of removing the bTB-positive alpaca known as ‘Geronimo’.
“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.”
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss added: “This is a terribly sad situation and our sympathies remain with all those affected by this devastating disease.
“Not only is this essential to protect the livelihoods of our farming industry and rural communities, but it is also necessary to avoid more TB cases in humans.”
Avon and Somerset Police said: “We can confirm officers were in attendance at a farm in the Wickwar area of South Gloucestershire this morning to support the Animal and Plant Health Agency, who carried out a court warrant.”
The PM’s dad Stanley today emailed Geronimo’s owner, writing: “Dear Helen, please accept my deepest sympathies. No one could have fought harder than you did to save Geronimo. May he rest in peace. With love and respect, Stanley.”
Shy alpaca is sacrifical lamb for vindictive badger cull
By Rod Liddle, the columnist who first championed Geronimo’s cause
SO, a perfectly healthy alpaca is slaughtered to preserve the hide of a jackass.
Geronimo was killed today. Dragged away from his home on a rope pulled by masked-up ministry men.
Taken to a place of execution and shot through the head with a bolt gun. His distraught owner, Helen Macdonald, left sobbing at home.
The creature looked absolutely petrified — as well it might. They sent 25 coppers to make sure they got Geronimo. The lanes to his farm closed off at each end. All this for a single alpaca.
An utterly senseless waste of an animal’s life. All done by a vindictive and very worried government department which is clearly not fit for purpose. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was always determined to kill this creature.
The hopeless Secretary of State, George Eustice, misled the public over the testing procedures carried out on Geronimo. The alpaca supposedly tested positive for bovine tuberculosis. But the tests were deeply flawed.
Quite clearly the animal didn’t have TB — because those supposedly positive tests came four years ago.
And if they’d been correct he’d have been dead long before now.
But Defra had to kill him. They had to make an example of his owner, Helen Macdonald. As she said: “This is what you get when you try to question government.”
They had to kill him because alive, Geronimo represented a threat to the government’s horrendous policy of mass slaughter of animals suspected of having TB.
Over the past eight years more than 140,000 badgers have been slaughtered by Defra. One of Britain’s best loved animals.
And the culling of these shy and gentle creatures has been absolutely pointless. It has not reduced the number of TB infections.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the biggest driver of TB infections is bad animal husbandry on the part of farmers.
In any case, there is now a vaccine for bovine TB. Truth be told there has been a vaccine for a long time. But both farmers — and the European Union — have always been against inoculations. They want those badgers dead.
Just as they wanted Geronimo dead. There was no moral, scientific or practical reason for killing the alpaca. The only reason was for Useless Eustice to save face. And to continue the policy of killing badgers up and down the country.
Vet Dr Iain McGill has followed Geronimo’s case very closely. He said on Twitter today: “Defra have no idea of the fury they have unleashed, which may destroy them as a credible Dept of Govt: Falsifying scientific data, lying, mental torture of Helen Macdonald, and the welfare issues for Geronimo.”
I spoke to a tearful Helen Macdonald tonight. Geronimo had been a much-loved family pet. She said: “These people are f***ing criminals. They lied. And they set me up as an example.
“But we will not give in. Geronimo will not have died in vain. We will continue this fight for justice.”
I hope that is true. One thing, though, is beyond dispute. If you care about animal welfare, never, ever, vote Conservative.
The party has not the slightest regard for the welfare of our wildlife or the life of a single animal.
RIP Geronimo. Lots of people fought for you. In the end you took on the government and there was only going to be one winner. A callous and vindictive government.