TB Outbreak Kills Eight Llamas, 27 Isolated

Lisa is in the empty llama house

A llama farm owner is very sad after eight of her llamas died from tuberculosis. The farm had to close because of this. Lisa Fox said seven of her llamas were killed on her birthday after they tested positive for the disease.

The outbreak started when a llama named Stardust got sick and died. Tests showed that seven other llamas were also infected. Lisa had to make the hard decision to kill them to protect the rest of her animals.

Twenty-seven llamas are still isolated and might be killed if they test positive later. Lisa, who owns Briery Hill Llamas, said her family is very sad about losing eight llamas to TB.

There is a biosecurity notice at the farm

The government did not help the farm, and now it is closed for most of 2026. Stardust was the first llama to get sick and later died from TB.

After Stardust died, the farm tested the other llamas and found seven more with TB. They had to be isolated and killed to protect the rest of the herd. Lisa did this because she loves her animals and does not see them as just property.

Losing the llamas has been very hard on Lisa and her family. They have not slept well and are very sad. It feels like a nightmare that they cannot wake up from. They think the government should help farms like theirs more.

The whole farm, which also has pigs and cows, had to be tested for TB. The farm's main income comes from llama experiences, like trekking and therapy, but these have been stopped.

Lisa cannot offer these experiences until the rest of the herd is tested and found to be TB-free, which will be by the end of 2026. Although the government pays for the killed animals, it does not cover the cost of the veterinary bills or the loss of income.

Lisa's llama Troy

The vet bill for Stardust was almost £15,000. The government did not offer any extra help, even though the farm lost its main source of income. The payment for the killed animals does not even cover the vet fees.

The payment also does not account for the time, breeding, and care that went into working with the llamas that were lost.

The family had to borrow money to install electric fencing to reduce the risk of the disease spreading. With their business stopped, Lisa says the emotional and financial impact has been overwhelming.

Now, the farm has 27 llamas left, but they cannot work with them because of the risk of infection. If people visit the farm, they have to stay three meters away from the llamas, which means the business is essentially closed.

The main part of the business is llama trekking and therapy, which they cannot do now. Lisa is certified as an animal assistant intervention specialist and loves working with the gentle llamas.

Lisa's llama The Pocket Rocket

Lisa is worried that the other llamas might have to be killed if they test positive later. They have to wait until July for the next tests, which can take up to 30 days to come back, and even if they are negative, they have to wait 90 days and test again.

If the llamas test positive, they have to be killed. Lisa thinks the testing process should be changed to reduce the waiting time from 90 days to 60 days.

The llamas that died brought joy to many people and happiness to Lisa's family. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government gave grants to businesses, but now they expect farms like Lisa's to continue without any income or support.

Lisa's family is expected to continue with no income and no financial support from the authorities, despite their grief.

Lisa has started a GoFundMe page to cover the cost of feeding the animals and paying veterinary bills while their business is closed.

Lisa and Stardust

So far, they have raised over £6,500. According to the government, removing infected animals quickly is vital to contain the disease and protect other animals.

The government pays compensation for animals that are killed to control TB. Llama and alpaca owners can reduce their risk of TB by testing their animals and seeking support from the TB Advisory Service.

A government spokesperson said they understand the difficulty of the situation and sympathize with those affected by bovine tuberculosis. They must have measures in place to reduce the risk of the disease spreading.

The government pays compensation for any animal that is killed to control TB.

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