Llamas and alpacas are gentle South American camelids farmed increasingly worldwide for fiber, with welfare concerns around shearing practices and social needs.
Alpacas and llamas restrained roughly during shearing experience acute stress, with cortisol spikes measurable for hours after the procedure. Farms with unskilled shearers cause unnecessary distress through prolonged restraint, accidental cuts, and poor handling technique. The social nature of camelids means isolated animals suffer significantly from loneliness. Many small hobby farms keep single animals which is a welfare concern regardless of other care quality.