13 Llamas Died in Acre Shelter; Officials Recommend Euthanasia for Remaining Herd

A total of 43 llamas and alpacas, seized on May 20th at a checkpoint on BR-364 in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil, remain under the care of the NGO Patinha Carente awaiting a final judicial decision. Since their seizure, 13 animals have died, with 10 succumbing at the shelter itself. The remaining animals have been housed in a rural property in Porto Acre for over a month. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), through a technical report, has recommended the euthanasia of the remaining animals to prevent a sanitary imbalance, a stance supported by the Federal Public Ministry (MPF). The NGO president, Vanessa Facundes, attributes the deaths to the climate, stating the animals suffer in the heat, though they receive assistance from the Acre Institute for Agricultural and Forest Defense (Idaf) and Mapa. Volunteers from the NGO are responsible for the daily care and medical treatment. Facundes has been in contact with the animals' owner, Wellington Vieira de Araújo, who has been advised by the judge to cover necessary expenses. Araújo confirmed he is paying for treatment, medication, and veterinary care, and sent his own veterinarian. He stated that the animals are not native to Brazil and expressed uncertainty about their future. The NGO opposes euthanasia, advocating instead for their return to Peru, placement with suitable caregivers, or return to the owner, but not death. The owner, Wellington Araújo, claims the animals are legalized, with some being offspring born on his ranch and others part of a legal September import. He stated the seized load was en route from Rondônia to Brasiléia, Acre, for a potential buyer and that he intended to return them to Rondônia for an agricultural fair. A Federal Court decision in late May mandated a clinical and sanitary evaluation by Idaf and Mapa due to insufficient documentation from the owner. Mapa's report highlighted a lack of zoosanitary documentation and emphasized the risk these camelids pose to Brazil's national livestock and international sanitary status, particularly concerning foot-and-mouth disease, recommending sanitary elimination as the only safe mitigation. The MPF concurred with Mapa's recommendation, finding other measures like re-export or quarantine unfeasible.