Four sibling alpacas have startled locals by being taken for a daily stroll around Dingwall.
Their mile-a-day around the Ross-shire town has turned brothers Zeus, Apollo, Perseus and Achilles into local celebrities.
Perseus and Apollo are twins and the quartet share the same father.
And their owner William Powrie should know all about good teamwork – he is the chairman of Brora Rangers FC, the Highland League champions.
Surprised looks
He and his partner Brenda bought the fury foursome two years ago after falling in love with the breed at the Scottish Alpaca Championships in Lanark.
The then six-month-old brothers were snapped up for around £2500 from a breeder in Durham.
They have since turned Dingwall – where William, 62, and Brenda, 56, live – into their favourite walking route.
Even their wool is donated to local knitters to turn into socks and other garments.
“When we take them on their daily walk we do get some surprised looks from people,” said antique dealer William, who also has two dogs, three parrots and ten ducks.
“But they are absolutely fantastic and have become minor celebrities around the area. We get people from far away bringing their children to see them and they must be the most photographed animals in town.
“When we take them out they are haltered but some people are a bit shocked – the alpacas can be imposing with their necks out and you don’t expect to see an alpaca walking down the street in Dingwall. But plenty of people want their picture taken with them.
“And as chairman of a soccer club I certainly recognise a good back four with this team.”
‘They certainly have their own personality traits’
Brenda added: “We were smitten by the breed when we saw them at Lanark.
“They are just so lovable and they just eat a grass and hay diet with an alpaca mineral supplement. They get through about a dozen bales of hay a month at this time of year. Like all brothers they occasionally fall out but not very often – and it’s usually over food.”
“They are pack animals, but they certainly have their own personality traits.”
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