Leases
Llama RescueNet requires that all adoptions be preceded by
a minimum 90-day lease. This allows
all parties involved adequate time to assess whether the llama's
placement is appropriate.
Types of lease and restrictions as defined by Llama RescueNet:
Preadoptive lease -- Sterile llamas with approved adoption
applications will be leased for a
minimum of 90 days to the prospective adopter for the sum of $1.
The lessee is responsible for all
expenses incurred during the lease period. After satisfactory
completion of the 90 day lease period
and any other provisions stated in the lease agreement including
receipt of the appropriate adoption
fee, the lease will be terminated and the llama will be signed
over to the adopter. The preadoptive
lease period will be waived for applicants who have provided at
least 90 days of foster care for that
llama.
Prescreening lease -- Intact llamas pending sterilization
exemption and with approved adoption
applications will be leased indefinitely to the prospective adopter
for the sum of $1 with the
provision that the llama not be allowed to breed during the lease
period. If the intact llama under
lease is granted permanent sterilization exemption, the lease
will be terminated and the llama will be
signed over to the adopter after completion of basic care procedures
and receipt of the appropriate
adoption fee.
Indefinite lease -- Intact llamas with approved adoption
applications may be leased indefinitely to
the prospective adopter for the sum of $35 with the provision
that the llama never be allowed to
breed. After sterilization, completion of basic care procedures
and receipt of the appropriate
adoption fee, the lease will be terminated and the llama will
be signed over to the adopter.
Llamas will not be placed before the post-intake basic health
treatment period ends (a minimum of
30 days), but applications for adoption will be accepted during
that time.
Adoptions are on a first-come, first-served basis among suitable
applicants. For llamas without
adoption prospects after the initial processing period, a BOD
member or designee may contact
suitable applicants already on file in order of date of application.
Each llama will be evaluated for placement against the desires and capabilities of the applicant.
Llamas with behavioral anomalies and all prospective adopters
of llamas with behavioral anomalies
will be assessed by a qualified behavioral consultant before placement
is attempted.
A 90-day preadoptive release is required before adoption (see above).
Adoption fees may range from $35 to $200 for sterilized llamas.
Individual animals' adoption
fees are set at the discretion of the placing coordinator. Adoption
fees for llamas identified by
Llama RescueNet as having special needs are $35 per llama.
A suitable, fitted halter will be included with each llama.
Llamas are traditionally used as pack animals and for fiber
production. In North America, llamas
are also trained as driving animals, for showing, and for performance
competitions. Some llamas
retain strong territorial and protective instincts and are used
successfully to guard other livestock.
The most popular use for llamas today is as companion animals.
Nearly all RescueNet llamas have the potential to become valued,
rewarding companions for both
humans and other llamas. However, most llamas taken in under Llama
RescueNet auspices are in
need of RescueNet's assistance precisely because they are not
marketable. Although Llama
RescueNet does occasionally receive llamas physically suitable
to perform in the more demanding
capacities (llamas with guarding potential are the most common),
prospective adopters do need to be
aware that most of the llamas available for adoption are physically
suited only to hobby-quality
fiber production and vegetation consumption.
The majority of llamas available for adoption are received
with little or no training. It is the goal of
Llama RescueNet to provide basic training for all llamas before
placement. Qualified adoption
applicants are allowed to complete the llama's basic training
while the llama is under lease.
Adoption applicants with little or no llama handling skills will
also be provided with “basic
training” in llama handling and care at no charge. Use-specific
training (packing, driving, showing,
performance competition skills) is not provided by Llama RescueNet,
but will be the responsibility
of the adopter.
Classic llamas are double-coated and have short wool
fibers (the guard hairs may be short or
longer). Their fleece is not dense, and dead fiber sheds readily.
Classic llamas are completely
combed out twice a year (spring and fall) and should not be shorn.
Classic coats are valued for
ease of care without sacrifice of weather-resistance and compatibility
with performance demands.
Llama RescueNet rarely receives true classic llamas.
Woolly llamas have fleeces that appear to be single-coated
or very nearly so. The fiber is long on
the neck as well as the body, the fleece is usually dense, and
the fiber does not shed. Woolly llamas
are fully shorn every year in the spring, and require shelter
when newly-shorn. Woolly llamas were
originally bred for fiber production, although quantity does not
ensure quality. Llama RescueNet
rarely receives woolly llamas with superior fiber.
Intermediate-type llamas (crosses) have fleeces with
a combination of classic and woolly
characteristics. Some have woollier, nonshedding necks like the
woolly type; some have short-
fibered, combable necks like the classic type. Woolly-necked crosses
are shorn fully in the spring
like woolly llamas. Combable-necked crosses are body-shorn in
the spring and their necks and
tails are combed once or twice a year. Both require shelter when
newly-shorn. Intermediate-type
llamas are the llamas most commonly available for adoption.
Llama RescueNet policy does allow intake of alpacas, guanacoes,
vicuñas, and crossbred lamas.
Availability of these animals will be infrequent. Alpacas are
a small domestic race of lama bred for
fiber production. Guanacoes and vicuñas are both wild species
and do present some management
challenges. Guanacoes are the size of medium-small llamas; vicuñas
are about the size of small
alpacas. A crossbred lama's characteristics, disposition, and
temperament will vary depending on
how much llama, alpaca, guanaco, or vicuña is in the individual
animal's background.
Many prospective adopters find that they can live with some
imperfections or that their facilities are
already best suited to llamas with some types of limitations and
disabilities, although not everyone
can accept llamas with every type of problem. Most adopters find
that these llamas prove to be very
rewarding companions and special friends.
Llamas with mild to moderate healed injuries or deformities,
amputees, and exceptionally small
animals should not carry weight. Similar llamas with more pronounced
or advanced problems are
happy at pasture where they can move at their own speed, but they
cannot comfortably manage
going for walks or hikes.
One person's aesthetic deformity may be another person's idea
of an endearing quality that
bestows uniqueness. Some llamas have ears that are shortened or
malformed at birth, from
frostbite, or from injury. Some llamas have facial bones that
are not formed or aligned properly.
Occasionally, a llama has tail defects or even no tail at all.
There are llamas with extra toes and
llamas with their toes fused together. Some llamas have areas
where no hair grows due to previous
trauma or abuse.
Llamas with few remaining teeth may require finely-chopped
hay and a pelleted supplement
formulated for senior animals. Such a diet certainly costs more
than pasture, but the additional cost
is not unreasonable. In areas of the country where pasture is
scarce, little or no additional cost may
be involved. Some llamas require daily supplementation of one
or more vitamins or minerals for
various reasons. Some llamas need no special food, but need only
to have a diet free of a particular
substance, usually alfalfa.
Blind llamas are not particularly common, and degree of blindness
varies. A llama blind in only
one eye can adjust very well. Some blind llamas can see light,
dark, and shapes. With patience and
care, even totally blind llamas can learn to do many things. However,
they do require a hazard-free
paddock and do not manage well if moved from pasture to pasture.
Deaf llamas are also uncommon. Deafness may be partial or total,
acquired or congenital. Deaf
llamas tend to be adaptable to various living arrangements, but
they obviously cannot learn to
respond to voice commands. A thoughtful trainer can teach nearly
anything to a deaf llama through
natural cues and hand signals.
The cost for adopting a llama with special needs is $35. Llama
RescueNet does not make available
for adoption llamas that require costly medical treatment, llamas
with terminal conditions, or llamas
with contagious conditions or diseases.
Young llamas are generally observant and learn very quickly.
That means they can learn how to get
out of doing something, including being caught, faster than an
inexperienced handler can teach them
otherwise. Although experienced handlers and youth adopters can
succeed with young llamas that
have had a good basic training background from birth, the young
llamas that Llama RescueNet
receives usually have little or no basic training.
With a good genetic background and proper care, llamas can
be expected to live into their mid-
twenties or thirties. Those adopters looking for companionable
llamas frequently find that they are
more satisfied with the assured manner of mature llamas in their
teens or twenties. Mature llamas
can and do learn "new tricks," and they are often more
patient with rookie llama handlers. The
adoption fee for llamas over the age of 20 is $35.
Applicants
Applicants must have no past history of animal neglect or abuse
and no current personal or
business involvement with animal byproducts obtained through the
death of companion animals,
including but not limited to llamas and alpacas.
Adoption applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
Applicants under the age of 18 may lease a Llama RescueNet
llama with parent or guardian
permission. The parent(s) or guardian(s) must agree to assume
legal responsibility for the care and
welfare of the llama according to the lease contract in the event
the applicant does not do so for any
reason.
Facilities
The applicant's facility must have zoning that is compatible
with llama keeping, and the total
number of llamas kept on the premises must not exceed the number
allowed by the zoning
restrictions. The applicant is responsible for seeking out information
regarding zoning and for
complying with zoning restrictions.
The applicant's facility is to be free of environmental hazards
and debris in the llama area(s),
including but not limited to toxic plants, chemicals, spoiled
feeds, wire, nails, glass, baling twine, and
lumber.
The applicant's facility may not have barbed wire in small
enclosures or paddocks where the Llama
RescueNet llama is kept.
The applicant's feeding area is to be kept clean and is to be large enough for the number of llamas.
The applicant must provide clean, unfrozen water that is available
to the llama(s) at all times except
as directed by a veterinarian.
The applicant's facility must include shelter that provides
shade, a windbreak from prevailing winds,
and protection from precipitation. The shelter is to have dry
flooring and must be available to the
llama(s) at all times.
Total shelter space must be large enough to simultaneously
accommodate all llamas that will have
access to the shelter(s). Llama RescueNet recommends at least
40 square feet of interior floor
space per llama or guanaco and 25 square feet of interior floor
space per alpaca or vicuna.
The applicant's facility must be secure against predatory animals,
including but not limited to dogs
belonging to the applicant; loose and feral dogs; and stock-killing
coyotes, wolves, bear, or cougar
in the vicinity.
A Llama RescueNet representative will physically inspect the
applicant's premises. If a physical
inspection is impractical, the local coordinator or other representative
will contact the applicant's
veterinarian for an assessment.
Companionship
Applicants must own another compatible llama if adopting a
single animal from Llama RescueNet.
An exception will be granted if another family member owns a llama,
the Llama RescueNet llama
will be boarded with one or more compatible llamas, or the proposed
adoptive animal is to be used
for livestock guarding.
For llamas placed as livestock guardians, a permanent herd
or flock of sheep, goats, or other
appropriate animals will be required.
For Llama RescueNet llamas aggressive toward other llamas,
presence of a compatible llama is not
required. Fencing must be adequate to contain and separate the
aggressive llama from other llamas
that may be present.
Responsibilities of adoption applicants and lessees
Applicants and lessees are responsible for all expenses pertaining
to or incurred by the Llama
RescueNet llama(s).
Applicants and lessees are responsible for maintaining llama
halter(s) (and lead(s), if applicable) in
a safe and comfortable condition and to promptly replace said
equipment with new equipment of
equal quality if safety, fit, or comfort becomes questionable.
Applicants and lessees must not leave halters or collars on
the llama(s).
Rights of adoption applicants and lessees
Adoption applicants and lessees have the right to decline any
llama offered for lease or adoption by
Llama RescueNet. Declination will not affect continuation of the
adoption search.
Adoption applicants and lessees have the right to terminate
the adoption process for any reason and
without penalty while the llama is in foster care or under lease.
Lease fees are not refundable.
Adoption applicants and lessees have the right to have incompatible
leased llamas removed from
their premises with all practical expediency.
Adopters have the right to return any llama to Llama RescueNet
after completion of the adoption
process, but the adoption fee is nonrefundable.
Lessees holding a pregnant or nursing Llama RescueNet llama
under preadoptive lease will be
granted right of first refusal to place the cria under a separate
preadoptive lease after the cria has
been weaned. This right of first refusal expires the latter of
60 days after the cria's weaning date or
when the cria reaches the age of nine months.
Adoption applicants and lessees have the right to necropsy
deceased prospective adoptive and
leased llamas at their own expense.
Download an Adoption Application
Mail your completed application to:
Llama RescueNet
PO Box 291
Dexter, OR 97431
Or, if you are interested in a specific llama, please mail or email the completed application directly to the appropriate coordinator!
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