At the Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas & Alpacasfarm in Ridgefield, Washington, guests engage with a herd of amiable camelids, each weighing around 300 pounds and full of enthusiasm and a desire for carrot kisses. There is a lot of giggling and caressing.
Mother-daughter caregivers Lori Gregory and Shannon Joy, who firmly believe in sharing llama love, said that many visitors to the farm are seeing a llama or alpaca in real life for the first time, and the up-close affection from these seemingly magical characters brings a sense of happiness and reduces stress.
Gregory and Joy are dispelling the myth that alpacas and llamas will spit at strangers one interaction at a time. This isn’t the case at this farm, where the larger, more courageous llamas and the usually softer, shier alpacas are used to being around people and don’t feel scared. Joy stated, “They want you in their space,” as she stood in the barn on the farm with her mother laughing beside her.
Joy went on to say, “You can feel secure knowing that these guys will always just be huggable.” They want attention badly.
With a flower necklace, bows, and an embroidered name sash, Gregory and Joy have been taking therapy llamas and alpacas to over 300 events annually since 2007.
As therapy animals, the well-trained camelids are at ease being a soothing presence in a throng. They are not the same as animals that provide emotional assistance.
Gregory and Joy’s carefully chosen herd has been reared to be self-assured and extremely gregarious, which is essential for therapy animals. According to Joy, our boys have a distinct personality that makes them eager to discover new places and make new acquaintances.
The most well-known therapy animals in the Pacific Northwest participate in Portland Rose Parades and provide guests with a delightful surprise at weddings and other special events.
The animals provide therapeutic and instructive encounters and are welcomed at schools, special-needs group meetings, elder homes, summer camps, and juvenile detention facilities.
Travelers and their loved ones who assist at the ticketing area at Portland International Airport can wait in line dozens of times a year to be greeted with a warm and fuzzy hug and to take pictures with the well-groomed animals.
On October 31, 2024, Jeanne and Harmon Hosch take a picture with Captain Jack the alpaca at Portland International Airport.Connor Vickie/The Oregonian
Individuals acquire the ability to distinguish between these camelids: Alpacas have smushed faces, small spear-shaped ears, and a soft, fine coat of hair, whereas llamas have a larger face, banana-shaped ears, and a coarse topcoat of hair.
Camels, vicunas, and guanacos—all of which have two-toed feet with toenails and leathery sole pads—are linked to these domesticated hoofless animals.
Gregory, Joy, and a few other volunteers labor at the airport to collect money for the nonprofit organization Mtn Peaks Therapy Llamas & Alpacas. The mother-daughter team stated that they want to make five more trips to the Portland airport throughout the holiday season.
They have seen individuals with travel tiredness run excitedly and curiously toward the animals throughout the years, put their arms around a long furry neck, and approach a friendly camelid even closer.
Joy said to The Oregonian/OregonLive that it is difficult to focus on your physical health issues or stressors while you are embracing a llama. When a llama enters, we witness repressed anxiety and tension melt away.
The Latellama Rojo’s legacy Instagram account, @rojothellama, is used to disseminate information about public events.
As demonstrated by Beni the llama and Captain Jack the alpaca, not all animals enjoy traveling in vans, and Gregory and Joy prioritize the welfare of the animals. According to Gregory, we make sure they are content, bring a friend if they like going to events, and don’t keep them away from their pasture mates for an extended period of time.
The full herd of five llamas and eight alpacas, many of which were donated by nearby farms, can be met by visitors to the farm, which is a half-hour drive from Portland. According to Gregory, initially reluctant kids ultimately discover their favorite camelid to groom, feed, or stroll while wearing reins on a halter.
Gregory stated, “We speak with parents and learn about the objectives they are pursuing with their child.” It could be verbal abilities, arm reach, or memory, such as attempting to recall the path through the obstacle course.
When Joy was younger, she reared a llama for a 4-H project, and she and her mother saw everyone at the county fairgrounds interacting with the odd animal. They then decided to open their farm to visitors.
Private tours of the farm are booked until 2025, according toclassycamelids.com, the website of Gregory and Joy s entertainment company, Classy Camelids, that books meet-and-greet style appearances. Fees support their nonprofit.
Limited reservations are still available forHolidays with the Herdphoto sessions.
Janet Eastman and Vickie Connor
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