Pembrokeshire alpaca farm forced to close after bird flu outbreak
Seven chickens at Sweet Home Alpaca, in Haverfordwest, were found dead last week, with it confirmed they had died from bird flu.
As a result, the remaining 113 chickens at the farm had to be culled.
This has caused the farm, which was named the Best Tour and Attraction in Pembrokeshire for 2024 by TripAdvisor, to close temporarily, meaning no alpaca experiences can take place.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the farm, which has raised more than £2,000 of its £5,000 target so far.
Sweet Home Alpaca in Haverfordwest has been forced to temporarily close after a bird-flu outbreak (Image: Sweet Home Alpaca) Angela Frayling-James of Sweet Home Alpaca said on Facebook and via the GoFundMe: "We want to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported us during this challenging time.
"A special thank you goes to Peter for setting up the GoFundMe for us—without your help, there would be no light at the end of the tunnel."
They added that everyone's "love, support, and generosity" mean the world to them, and that every penny raised is going directly toward animal welfare.
Angela and her husband Alex had set up the business during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and have been overwhelmed by the support of the community after they have been forced to get rid of all of their stock and alpaca fleece as a result of the outbreak.
Angela and her husband Alex started the farm in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic (Image: Angela Frayling-James)
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When the bird flu outbreak was discovered, Sweet Home Alpaca had to take some "difficult actions" in order to comply with regulations.
The shop stock, feed, and alpaca fleece from the past year all had to be destroyed and disposed of.
The field also needs to be harrowed, but this has been complicated by restrictions that prevent anyone from being on-site.
Angela explained: "Unfortunately, we do not have the machinery to do this ourselves, and the authorities will not open the site again until this step is completed."
They added that they hope to rescue more chickens in the future but are currently awaiting guidance on when they can reopen.
The harrowing of the field is a crucial step before they will be considered for reopening.
Angela Frayling-James of Sweet Home Alpaca had taken to Facebook to thank the community for their support (Image: Sweet Home Alpaca) She continued: "This week has been one of the most intense and emotional journeys we've ever experienced.
"We faced a heartbreaking challenge when our 120 rescue chickens fell ill due to bird flu and had to be culled.
"Watching them struggle was incredibly tough, but through it all, our community's support has been nothing short of extraordinary.
"We genuinely couldn't have managed this crisis without each and every one of you.
"Your kindness, love, and encouragement have kept us going when things felt overwhelming."
The bird-flu outbreak has left the farm with no chickens (Image: Angela Frayling-James)The farm hopes to reopen as soon as possible, but this cannot happen until all the requirements by APHA are completed.
The funds raised through the GoFundMe will help provide the necessary medical attention, food, and warmth for the alpacas, and all the animals under the farm's protection.
Angela added: "The love and kindness we've received have overwhelmed us in the best way possible.
"It's brought tears to our eyes multiple times and reaffirmed why we do this work—for these animals, and for a community that truly cares.
"Your support reminds us there is always light and hope even in dark times.
"Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for standing with us, for believing in this cause, and for helping us heal and protect these wonderful creatures."
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