Four alpacas were ‘executed’ in a field by shots to the head yesterday in a scene described by their owner as a ‘massacre’.
Horrified Dawn French was alerted to the bloodbath in the morning and rushed to the horrific ‘murder scene’ at her six-acre field in a small Cambridgeshire village.
A .22 calibre rifle or similar is believed to have been used for the callous killings, with a fifth alpaca surviving despite a shot to its face. An ewe was also torn apart by dogs and had to be put down.
‘It looked like a murder scene when we arrived. The alpacas had all been shot in the head like an execution. It was absolute carnage,’ said Mrs French.
‘It’s something I would never want to see ever again and wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.’
Mrs French and her husband Brian, who have a smallholding in East Hatley, a few miles west of Cambridge, originally had six alpacas and two sheep, as well as chickens and geese.
One of the sheep was lying badly injured in a ditch and later had to be put to sleep. The other terrified sheep was hiding in a hedge.
‘We had a call on Sunday telling us to quickly get to the field and that it wasn’t a pretty sight,’ Mrs French added.
Dawn French (pictured) with an alpaca called Pheobe, who survived despite a shot to its face
Mrs French and her husband Brian, originally had six alpacas and two sheep, as well as chickens and geese
Four alpacas were ‘executed’ in a field by shots to the head – a .22 calibre rifle or similar is believed to have been used for the callous killings
‘We found four alpacas scattered around the field and they all had horrific head injuries. Another alpaca, our oldest, Pheobe, had a surface wound where she was shot in the face. She has survived but her face is paralysed and she is now on strong painkillers.
‘There appeared to have been a dog in the field as there were dog footprints everywhere and sheep’s fleece on the ground where it appeared to have pulled [at] the sheep.
‘It all seems completely unreal, like something from a movie. We’ve had scenes of crime here investigating and the police are very concerned because a gun was used.’
All the alpacas were bred by the couple and were between eight and 12 years old.
‘They were our pets, we love animals and we used to breed the alpacas and when they were younger we’d sell their fleeces,’ she said.
‘No one has any idea what the motive was. You can’t see the field from the road.
‘One person said perhaps they were mistaken for deer at night, as we do get deer stalkers. I just don’t know, maybe it’s the latest sick sport. It’s definitely not for food as they left the bodies behind.’
In a post of Facebook, she wrote earlier: ‘Well, what an absolutely horrific day we’ve just had. Four of our lovely alpacas shot in the head and killed, one ewe massacred by dogs, another alpaca wounded and one alpaca & ewe terrified and so skittish.
The alpacas were killed on a six-acre field in East Hatley (pictured), which is a few miles west of Cambridge
Pheobe (pictured) survived but four other alpacas were killed in the shooting in a scene described by their owner as a ‘massacre’
One of the sheep was lying badly injured in a ditch and later had to be put to sleep – the other terrified sheep was hiding in a hedge
‘All day spent at East Hatley with police, rural crimes team, SOCO (scene of crime officers) & vet saving the injured one. What the hell happened!
‘Absolute b%#^stards that have taken so many lives. Police are taking it very seriously with guns involved….what on earth next?’
She added: ‘Anyone with animals please be on your guard for these sick f#%^ers.’
Officers from Cambridgeshire Police have been carrying out house to house enquiries and are now asking for anyone with information about the incident to get in contact.
Sergeant Tom Nuttall, from the Rural Crime Action Team, said: ‘This was a highly distressing crime that has caused death and serious injury to defenceless animals.
‘I would encourage anyone who knows anything about this offence to get in touch as soon as possible.’
A police spokesperson confirmed the weapon used was believed to be ‘.22 or higher rifle’.
