Geronimo the alpaca removed as police arrive at Gloucestershire farm
Geronimo the alpaca has been taken from the farm where he lives by Government vets supported by a police escort.
Avon and Somerset Police officers attended the site in Wickwar, South Gloucestershire shortly before 11am on Tuesday morning alongside three people dressed in blue overalls, masks and goggles.
Geronimo has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis and a destruction warrant has been ordered for the animal, although owner Helen Macdonald believes the tests are returning false positives.
After around 20 minutes the black alpaca was rounded up as other alpacas watched on from a nearby field, before being loaded into a trailer, which then left the scene.
The force later confirmed it was supporting the Animal and Plant Health Agency in executing a court warrant.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “We can confirm officers are in attendance at a farm in the Wickwar area of South Gloucestershire this morning to support the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), who are executing a court warrant.
“We’ll always support our partner agencies to carry out their lawful duties and our role is to prevent a breach of the peace and to ensure public safety is protected.”
The destruction warrant is valid until September 4 and Ms Macdonald wants the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to allow Geronimo to be tested for a third time or let him live to aid research into the disease.
