Alpacas are farmed across South America, Australia, and Europe for their prized fiber. Welfare standards vary widely, and investigative footage from Peru has documented serious abuses in the shearing process.
Alpaca fiber production is widely perceived as a more ethical alternative to wool from mulesed sheep or angora from rabbits, but significant welfare problems exist in the industry. The shearing process, when performed by inexperienced workers under time pressure, can involve rough physical restraint, injury from improper equipment, and psychological stress from the handling procedure. Alpacas that are well-habituated to human contact and shearing from a young age can be shorn with minimal stress; the difference between well-managed and poorly managed shearing is vast. Consumer pressure and brand accountability programs that require independent welfare audits of alpaca supply chains are the most effective lever for driving improvements in a largely unregulated global industry.