Like Bridget Duncan (Letters, The Yorkshire Post, September 2), I am absolutely disgusted by the way Geronimo the alpaca was treated when she was taken to her death.
Before I could hit the “off” switch when a television news story began about it, I couldn’t help but see what was happening on the screen and hear the reporter say that Geronimo was crying in the corner of his pen.
He was obviously absolutely terrified.
This was not the way for supposedly civilized officials to behave.
As Geronimo’s owner had not been warned in advance, she was not there to comfort him and has accused DEFRA (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) of “chaining her”, no doubt to lull her into a false sense of security.
Unfortunately, however, Geronimo’s death and the way it is repeated here thousands of times every day in the meat industry.
The government now belatedly recognizes that animals are sentient beings.
It is about time they were treated as such.
Cattle and other animals with TB are slaughtered with the same brutality as those slaughtered for food.
Badgers are shot as potential carriers, despite the fact that there is much evidence that the vaccine is available.
If the autopsy reveals that Geronimo was a carrier of tuberculosis, then his death would have been a necessary evil.
But if it is found to be negative, I suspect the information will be withheld from the public and those who rejected it one last test.
They should hang their heads in shame.
As should those who treated him so brutally.
Other correspondents may reply that I should be concerned with human beings more than animals.
Compassion for animals does not exclude compassion for others and anyone who thinks otherwise must think again.
From: Hilary Jones, Bridgwater.
I CANNOT comment on the science, but the way Geronimo was handled while being dragged away was appalling. There is no way to handle any animal, but particularly an alpaca that was used to being worn with a collar on its head. Unnecessary, brutal and simply cruel.
From: Helen Clark, Tadcaster.
It’s just an alpaca… thousands of farm animals die every day. Put it in perspective.
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Source: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-09-05 05:00:31
