Restraining an alpaca WHAT NOT TO DO!

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Permalink Reply by Maryann Marsh on July 7, 2008 at 11:06am

UMMMM cruel!!!!!!!! Alpacas have a natural fear of being off balance and what they just did is completely unnecessary!!! I dont know what they had to do to that alpaca but they had plenty of hands to hold while doing just about anything!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Arnold ~Good Shepherd Farm on July 7, 2008 at 11:08am

I thought so too. We have never had to imobilize an alpaca. By the time this guy had the restraint in place, almost any procedure could have been completed.

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Permalink Reply by sandy kunath/glacial ridge alpacas on July 7, 2008 at 11:14am

oh how awful, why torture and frighten any animal that way, all the time it took to tie the poor thing up that way could have been spent doing whatever needed to be done, or buy a table, i think this is cruel

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Permalink Reply by Jamie Flores on July 7, 2008 at 9:56pm

Oh my gosh--that is absolutely awful. I am sure there are many "practices for restraining alpacas" out there--but--there are definately better ways to do it that this.
Jamie Flores
Shi'Lo' Alpacas
Seminole, FL

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Permalink Reply by Janet Tapply on July 7, 2008 at 11:08pm

It looks like ignorance to me! To bad people are allowed to video and project like they KNOW what they are doing but, don't have a clue. I would hate to think people interested in alpacas snooping around would see this and think, I can't do that! I was looking for a slip of the foot being tied - right between the eyes!

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Permalink Reply by Maryann Marsh on July 7, 2008 at 11:21pm

I need to find out who did that video and let them know how horrible it is to the general public and to TRUE alpaca breeders to post that video on the web!

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Permalink Reply by Sherm and Cindy Whitlock on July 8, 2008 at 12:12am

This video is very disturbing. It is obvious that there is no respect given to the alpaca by the handlers, and their activity is bordering on abuse to the animal. There is never a time that an alpaca needs to be restrained in this manner.

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Permalink Reply by Rick Horn - All American Alpacas on July 29, 2008 at 8:31am

Sorry to disagree, but here goes anyway. It's called chukkering. While I would not personally do it, it's very common in SA, used for restraint when transported in open trucks.
It's also somewhat common in Australia and New Zealand. It
Look at an alpaca stretched out for shearing. It looks cruel, but at one point, the alpaca just resigns itself to the fact that it's restrained, and relaxes. From what I've been told, chukkering is less stressful on an alpaca than stretching it out.
http://www.lifestyleblock.co.nz/articles/other_species/06_alpaca_ba...
Because of the looks of it, and how we Americans perceive it, chukkering just never caught on in this country.

Rick
--
Rick & Pati Horn
All American Alpacas
35215 Avenida Mañana
Murrieta, Ca. 92563
http://aaalpacas.com/updates.html
(951) 217-0306 Fax (951) 679-8696
Life is good!

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Permalink Reply by Sherm and Cindy Whitlock on July 29, 2008 at 12:08pm

Hi Rick,
Those silly Americans! I guess I'm one of the soft-hearted ones. Having grown up in a family with a grandpa that raised and "broke" Arabian horses the old fashioned way, I always thought there should be a kinder way to do it! Silly me. Well, thanks to the "Horse Whisperer" and others, Americans learned a much kinder, gentler form of training, not to mention very effective.
You are right, it's all in our perception, but from what I've observed over the years, there are lots of techniques, and lots of different people using their "version" of restraint. Some are kind, respectful and effective, some are hard, unrespectful and well, effective.

Thanks for listening Rick, please don't be sorry to disagree. After all this is America:), freedom of thought and expression!
Take care,
Cindy

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Permalink Reply by Heidi Christensen on January 1, 2009 at 4:37pm

I read the version of chukkering that Rick's link had. I am unable to get the video to work - probably has something to do with the adult content filter I had to put on my computer since my 12 year old son discovered girls. The version online doesn't sound cruel - just putting their legs under them and keeping them in place. What happens on this video that appears cruel?

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Schell ~ Walnut Hill Farm on January 1, 2009 at 4:41pm

Heidi,
If I remember right.... they are trying to grab him and one of his back legs at the same time...
not making him cush and then securing the legs....

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Permalink Reply by Mike & Gayle Heafield on September 15, 2009 at 9:20am

I would like to reply to Rick Horn comment that it is common in Australia and New Zealand to chukker alpacas, I can not comment on N Z but Rick, in the 12 years I have been in the alpaca industry in Australia I honestly can say, I have never seen this curl practise used and if I did I would voice my opposition loudly. We Aussie breeders are, I would imagine like most of you American breeders and care for our animals and would find a more humane way to handle them.

Mike Heafield.
Gayewood Alpacas.
Australia.

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