Llamas and alpacas are kept for fibre production, as pack animals and as companion animals, with welfare challenges including shearing stress, transport, inadequate social housing and inappropriate diet.
Alpaca and llama welfare in the UK is variable, with experienced breeders providing excellent care and inexperienced owners sometimes keeping animals in inappropriate conditions. The rapid growth of the sector has brought many people into camelid ownership without adequate preparation. Key welfare issues include keeping single animals without companionship, inadequate nutrition and pasture management, neglected dental care and poorly managed shearing. Shearing stress can be minimised through experienced shearers, good preparation and maintaining calm handling throughout the process. Animals that have been handled regularly from birth tolerate shearing and routine care far better than those with limited human contact.