The owner of an alpaca which could be “slaughtered” on Thursday has called on Boris Johnson to intervene to save the “perfectly healthy” animal, writes Bronwen Weatherby of the Press Association.

Helen Macdonald lost a High Court appeal last month to prevent her stud alpaca, Geronimo, from being killed after he tested positive twice for bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

The veterinary nurse, who breeds the species at her farm in Wickwar in south Gloucestershire, has been locked in a legal battle with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) since 2017.

After losing her original High Court bid in 2019, a district judge signed a destruction order in May 2021 to allow the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) to seize Geronimo.

READ MORE: Don't kill Geronimo, alpaca with positive bTB tests, say 80,000 people

Ms Macdonald’s most recent attempt to get a reprieve for the six-year-old was rejected by a judge, Mr Justice Griffiths, who said there was a need to protect against the “serious consequences” of bTB.

The second warrant to be issued for the death of the alpaca from New Zealand is due to begin on August 5.

Ms Macdonald has said the Prime Minister may be the only chance to “reverse the decision”.

“At the moment I don’t know what else I can do.

“They (Defra) won’t hear me,” Ms Macdonald said.

“We’re asking Boris Johnson to intervene to sort this out and stop the slaughter order.

“The entire industry is up in arms because this really is the senseless destruction of an innocent animal,” she added.

“They have a choice here. They don’t have to kill him; they could at least test him first.”

Ms Macdonald claims Defra has “lied” about the testing of Geronimo.

Her barrister Cathryn McGahey QC said the results of the positive tests were skewed after he had several quicker, but less accurate, skin tests for bTB, which the lawyer said were like the “bovine equivalent of a lateral flow test”.

Ms McGahey told the court that despite bTB being a disease which progresses swiftly Geronimo had shown “not a whisker of symptoms” and should be tested again.

But Ned Westaway, for Apha, which is part of Defra, said a third test would be “futile”.

He added: “The disease can take years to progress and it is on that basis that we maintain our suspicion that Geronimo has bTB.”

Ms Macdonald told the PA news agency: “They have admitted in writing to doing that.

“The Government knows what’s happened.

“George Eustice knows they lied to cover up their incompetence.

“Yet he’s sitting there doing nothing.

“He’s ignored me for three years.

“I just want him (Geronimo) to be properly tested, with an approved test, and then if he was to test positive, I’d of course agree to put him down.”

She has said there will likely be a stand-off between herself and the Defra officers if the warrant is acted upon this week.

However, Defra will have 30 days from the warrant’s start date to kill Geronimo.

“It’s a really upsetting situation.

“I don’t want Geronimo’s last moments to be of being caught by a man who will put a gun to his head before he’s shot, but then I don’t want to consent to having him euthanised.

“That’s no choice at all,” she said.

“Asking me to do that to a healthy animal as a vet who has been saving lives for 30 years is the worst thing they can do to my mental health.

“They are putting me through hell.”

Wildlife TV presenter Chris Packham has been vocal in his support to save Geronimo and in a tweet on Monday called on Mr Eustice to stop the killing.

He wrote: “Geronimo will be killed on Thurs. If @alpacapower refuses they’ll use a warrant, bring the police and force entry to kill a beautiful animal which is not diseased. Like millions of others. FFS @MPGeorgeEustice get a grip please stop this.”

A crowdfunding page set up in July to help pay for legal fees has now raised almost £18,000.