GERONIMO

A STORY ABOUT AN ALPACA

In September 2021, an Alpaca called Geronimo hit mainstream headlines across the UK.

This black alpaca with a trademark curly hair-style was to be put to sleep as he had been deemed a TB carrier. Geronimo may have become a household name almost overnight, but for his owners the build-up to a final decision by DEFRA spanned years. The traumatic televised extraction of Geronimo from his home by members of the DEFRA organisation struck a chord with pet owners across the globe.

When his post-mortem results came back ‘inconclusive’ further heart ache for his owners ensued and the questions around Geronimo’s initial diagnosis began to swirl. TB testing is something that cattle owners face every year, often loosing half their herds in just one day. Geronimo’s death opened up a new chapter in the discussion surrounding the validity and effectiveness of TB testing in the UK.

His owner, Helen Macdonald, tells us Geronimo’s story...

...read more in Issue 0

WORDS: HELEN MACDONALD

IMAGES: HELEN MACDONALD