The streets in Chubut are usually quiet, but this week something stopped traffic and captured the hearts of local residents. A man was filmed calmly walking a guanaco on a leash as if it were a domestic dog.
What for some was a “charming” scene, for authorities and wildlife specialists was an immediate warning sign.
The guanaco is a protected species, and keeping it in urban environments is prohibited. After the video went viral, a formal complaint was filed under the slogan: “It’s not a pet.”
This incident forces us to ask: Are we crossing the boundaries of domestication at the expense of animal welfare?