A pet alpaca in China died from hypothermia after a grooming session went wrong, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The incident sparked outrage among animal lovers across the nation.
The alpaca, named Mao Mao, was taken to a pet grooming shop in Guangzhou for a bath and trim. But the salon didn't dry it properly, leaving it wet. The alpaca was exposed to cold temperatures overnight, a mistake that could have been avoided.
The owner, surnamed Li, who hails from Jinan, Shandong province in northern China, was devastated when she received a call from the grooming shop informing her of Mao Mao's death. She said she had specifically instructed the staff to be careful with the alpaca.
The shop apologised and offered compensation, but Li refused and demanded justice for her beloved pet. "When we held it, we realised its inner coat was still wet. Our vet administered injections and tried everything, but it did not survive," Li told the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
"That day, I sent three alpacas. Just two days earlier, I had sent four. It was clear the workload was exhausting."
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According to the report, the employee later contacted Li directly and claimed that the 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) credit she had stored at the pet shop was insufficient. The employee apparently asked her to transfer the grooming fee to him privately. Li denied, saying that her agreement was with the shop.
The pet shop initially admitted that the tragic incident occurred because of staff negligence, but later denied it. But when the story went viral, the pet shop owner reached out to her on November 9, and the two parties settled.
The incident has sparked a heated debate about animal welfare. As quoted, one user said, "If an employee was upset, he should have spoken privately with the manager. Venting on an animal is unacceptable. This was not carelessness; they did not value the animal's life at all."
"In the end, the alpaca suffered the consequences. These poor little creatures have no say in their fate. Their lives and deaths rely entirely on luck," another user wrote.
