Four alpacas were shot dead in the head in an attack that left a beautiful UK village looking like a “murder scene”. The animals were shot between 6pm on Saturday and 8.30am on Sunday on a farm in East Hatley, Cambridgeshire Police said.
A fifth alpaca was shot in the face but survived the attack. A ewe was also killed by dogs. Owner of the alpacas, Dawn French has condemned the “horrific, senseless” attack. Ms French said she and her husband Brian rushed to her six-acre field, to find their dead pets, who were named Calvin, Klein, Martha and Juniper, scattered around the land in an “execution” type attack.
The farm was like a ‘murder scene’ (Image: Getty)
“It looked like a murder scene,” she told The Times. “The alpacas had all been shot in the head like an execution. It was absolute carnage. It’s something I’d never want to see ever again and wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. We found four alpacas scattered around the field and they all had horrific head injuries.”
During an interview with BBC Breakfast today, March 25, Ms French said she received a “phone call Sunday morning” urging her to come to the field straight away.
She said: “We got a phone call Sunday morning, saying you need to come to the field now. But be prepared, it’s not pretty.
“They didn’t give us any more information than that, and when we got there we found that four of our alpacas had been shot in the head. A fifth one was shot but she was OK.
“One of the sheep had been mauled by a dog, and she was found very, very poorly in a ditch just outside the field.
“It’s just horrific, senseless, just awful.”
Ms French said the ewe had to be put down because she was so badly mauled. The injured alpaca was treated by a vet.
Police have launched an investigation after the ‘highly distressing’ incident (Image: Cambridgeshire Police/PA Wire)
Although, Phoebe, the oldest alpaca survived her face has been left paralysed and is now on strong painkillers.
Ms French she has “absolutely no idea” what the motive could have been and hopes “it’s maybe just a one-off and it’s not a latest craze”.
She added: “It’s just been absolutely horrific, no thought whatsoever that could be behind it. Just brutal, senseless – there’s no words.”
Police have launched an investigation after the “highly distressing” incident. Officers have carried out house-to-house inquiries and are now asking anyone with information about the incident to get in touch.
Sergeant Tom Nuttall 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.”
Anyone with information or who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area around the time of the incident, or who has CCTV or dashcam footage, has been asked to call 101, quoting reference 35/20844/25, or to contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
