Alpacas and llamas are raised for fibre, as companion animals, and in tourism worldwide. Their welfare needs are often misunderstood, and commercial fibre production raises specific concerns about shearing and handling.
Alpaca and llama welfare depends primarily on management quality — species-appropriate nutrition, social housing, regular shearing, and competent handling. The concerns raised by investigative footage relate primarily to restraint methods during shearing that cause unnecessary stress and injury. Well-managed shearing using appropriate equipment and trained operators can be conducted humanely. The expansion of alpaca farming in Europe and North America has created a need for husbandry education among novice producers. Welfare-conscious consumers of alpaca fibre can seek products from certified sustainable and humanely-managed producers.