Four alpacas were fatally attacked by two dogs at a farm in Cambridgeshire, leading to a tragic outcome. The Cambridgeshire Police Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) responded to the incident at Wisbech St Mary early on a Tuesday morning following reports of a livestock attack.
Unfortunately, four alpacas perished as a result of the dog mauling, while two other animals sustained facial injuries that required immediate veterinary care. The authorities seized two dogs believed to be Rottweilers, launching a formal investigation into the matter.
Sergeant Tom Nuttall of the RCAT expressed deep distress over the incident and appreciated the cooperation of the victim and the dog owner during the investigation. Livestock worrying is considered a criminal offense in the UK, with llamas and alpacas recently being included in the livestock category under the Dogs Protection of Livestock Amendment Act 2025.
The UK is home to an estimated 45,000 to over 60,000 alpacas as of late 2025, as reported by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the British Alpaca Society (BAS). Authorities have issued guidelines to both dog walkers and farmers to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
