Guard alpacas rule the roost

7:00am Thursday 20th November 2008

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THEY may not look ferocious – in fact they are rather cute – but these fluffy alpacas are doubling up as guard dogs to protect a flock of chickens from foxes.

They live in Angel Thorneycroft’s expansive Poole garden, protecting her 22 feathered friends from hungry foxes which have killed 30 birds during the past year, despite being chased off by her two dogs.

But now the brood rests easy at the hooves of Holly and Maurice, and the foxes don’t stand a chance.

Mrs Thorneycroft said: “I’ve even seen them herding the dogs. If they go near the chickens they intervene and stand in-between. You can see they’re on guard – it’s quite amazing.”

The mum-of-two said she had been at her wits end following the fox attacks.

“I’ve been chasing them around the garden while they’ve been grabbing chickens in front of me,” she added. “It was heartbreaking.”

After spotting guard alpacas on television, Angel did some intensive research and discovered their reputation as protectors of both sheep and chickens.

She took the plunge four weeks ago and bought a pair from a couple from north Dorset, who kept them as pets, for £350 each – a bargain price, as alpacas can fetch thousands.

Mrs Thorneycroft is now learning the finer points of alpaca husbandry which include periodic injections, nail trimming and annual shearing.

And the multi-purpose pet is also an excellent lawnmower for Angel’s large hilly garden.

She said: “They do a wonderful job, and everyone loves them.”

Alpacas, from the same family as camels, originate from South America and usually communicate by gentle humming sounds, administering a hard kick if they feel threatened.