London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Geronimo the alpaca did NOT have bovine TB, owner claims, as initial post-mortem result proves inconclusive

Geronimo the alpaca did NOT have bovine TB, owner claims, as initial post-mortem result proves inconclusive

An alpaca euthanised because it was said to have bovine tuberculosis did not have the disease, its owner claims, citing an autopsy. That conclusion is disputed by officials, who say the post-mortem offers evidence of the disease.

The scandal provoked by the death of the alpaca, named Geronimo, was given a new twist on Wednesday, when the legal team supporting its owner, Helen Macdonald, an alpaca breeder, revealed the preliminary findings of a post-mortem examination.

Geronimo did not have bovine tuberculosis, the lawyers claimed, “the preliminary gross post-mortem findings [being] negative for visible lesions” – a typical marker for the fatal disease, which results in the slaughter of thousands of cattle in the UK every year to prevent its spread.

“For clarity, there are no white or cream caseous, enlarged abscesses typical for bTB in alpacas, whether in the lungs, bronchial, mediastinal or retropharyngeal lymph nodes,” the autopsy report stated. In Macdonald’s view, these findings undermine the conclusions of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and she has called for the immediate resignation of its head, Secretary of State George Eustice. Last month, she staged a protest outside DEFRA’s HQ. She and her fellow demonstrators then marched to 10 Downing Street, demanding accountability from the government.

“There is a long list of people who contributed to the barbaric treatment of Geronimo,” Macdonald told the protesters, adding that she had been punished by officials for daring to “stand up to their dogma”.

"Geronimo was the innocent victim of arrogance, ignorance and greed."


Those same officials are arguing that the post-mortem results were inconclusive, however, and still suggest the animal might have had the disease. The samples collected will undergo further testing, with the results expected to be available before Christmas.

“We have completed the initial post-mortem examination of Geronimo. A number of TB-like lesions were found and, in line with standard practice, these are now undergoing further investigation,” Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss said in a statement.

"These tests include the developing of bacteriological cultures from tissue samples, which usually takes several months. We would expect to complete the full post-mortem and culture process by the end of the year."


The Geronimo saga began back in 2017, when Macdonald imported the animal from New Zealand. Down under, the animal had tested negative for bovine TB in multiple skin tests. In the UK, however, its blood tests returned positive results twice, despite it never having shown any visible symptoms of the disease.

Pro-Geronimo experts are of the view that the latter were false positives, as the animal had been ‘primed’ – effectively, micro-vaccinated – against TB, but DEFRA officials maintain the tests provided enough evidence to permit the animal to be put down. Geronimo was ultimately forcibly removed from Macdonald’s farm by DEFRA agents supported by police officers on August 31.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×