Llama RescueNet Success
Stories !
Marshall Marshmallow
Marshall's story exemplifies
the plight of many misunderstood and mismanaged male llamas around
the country.
Not much is known about Marshall's
background. It probably wasn't very interesting ... until his
hormones and natural guarding tendencies combined to make his
behavior too frightening to deal with. First he (and the female
he was living with ... er, OWNED) were left at a property when
the previous owner left; then the new property owner sold both
llamas to a complete beginner with no disclosure. Three days
later, Marshall directed his natural territorial aggression toward
his unsuspecting benefactor and chased her out of the paddock.
The beginner was advised to kill Marshall immediately because
he could never be saved. Fortunately, someone steered her to
Llama RescueNet.
After castration, a good deal
of Marshall's common sense returned, and within a month, he again
recognized humans as not-llamas and no threat to "his"
female. However, he still had a LOT of mistraining and mis-socialization
to undo, and so was surrendered to RescueNet for rehabilitation
and future placement into a more suitable situation.
Marshall's rehabilitation and
post-rehab evaluation lasted just over a year. Although Marshall
remains an active and exuberant llama, he has proven to be a
safe and highly enjoyable companion for his new human family,
including the children.
During rehabilitation, Marshall
met his friend Rory, a gelding who did not belong to Llama RescueNet,
but was in dire need of a more suitable home. The two llamas
got along exceptionally well, and so Marshall's adopter -- a
first-time llama owner -- also bought Rory, assuring the two
llamas of each other's companionship for life.
 Fancy
and Gracie
Fancy and Gracie were taken into
Llama RescueNet at different times, but in shockingly similar
condition: pregnant, nursing, and terribly thin.
Because Gracie was held by the
legal system in a neglect case, she had no choice but to carry
her second cria, conceived just weeks before her group's seizure
and removal, to term. Thanks to RescueNet foster provider efforts,
Gracie's nutrition level and weight were improved enough that
her next cria, Polka Dot, was born healthy. But after Polka Dot
was weaned, Gracie still needed a new home.
Fancy was surrendered five months
pregnant, and because of her horrible body condition and her
inability to put on weight, a decision was made to abort the
pregnancy in an effort to preserve Fancy's life. Indeed, Fancy's
health and demeanor improved immediately. But she, too, needed
a new home.
Llama RescueNet's website spawned
an inquiry from a potential adopter just ten minutes away from
where Gracie and Fancy were being fostered. It was llama love
at first sight, and both llamas enjoy their new home (where they
are on indefinite lease, awaiting funds for spaying). Taylor
(right, with Fancy) and her friend Claire (left, with Gracie)
take the llamas for walks often, and Taylor now belongs to the
local 4H llama club.
That alone would be a very happy
ending for two llamas who came perilously close to starvation
and death. But Fancy and Gracie did even more -- their gentleness
and special natures inspired lessee and future adopter Terri
Spreitzer to organize a car wash to benefit Llama RescueNet!
The humans washed cars, and Fancy and Gracie did their part by
attracting customers and allowing themselves to be petted all
morning.
 Abe,
Fuego, and PPP Sterling ("Kato")
Abe, broken down and minimally
trained, was a companion to a retired pack llama, living with
a retired couple with failing health. One sad day, his pack llama
friend died and Abe was alone.
Fuego (right) was a broken-down
ex-stud with special needs. He had a skin condition and a stiff
neck that could not be lowered below the level of his chest.
He lived as a brush eater with a still-healthy, pack-trained
gelding named Seneca. One day his people decided that the llamas
were getting too old and they just weren't interested in taking
care of elderly animals.
Kato (left) exists, like many
llamas today, because somebody thought babies were cute and had
the mistaken idea that raising llamas would be profitable. One
day he and all the other llamas were delivered to Brother Francis
R&R llama sanctuary in Eastern Washington because they could
no longer be cared for, and nobody would buy them, or even take
them away.
Volunteers from Llama RescueNet
made life good again for the entire group of llamas at minimal
expense!
Fuego was castrated with quick
and positive personality results that surprised even his long-time
owner. After time to heal, Fuego was then introduced to Abe on
neutral territory, and Seneca was placed directly into a packing
home.
After Abe and Fuego had some
time to get acquainted, they were taken to Brother Francis R&R
llama sanctuary, where they were placed in a comfortable paddock
of their own. The sanctuary has a very small population in order
to give individual attention to each llama. Fuego's special feeding
needs are being met, and his stubborn skin condition is being
addressed with daily care.
Although homes do exist where
Fuego and Abe might have been adopted and cared for as well,
none were available and none might have surfaced for some time.
Placement in the sanctuary guaranteed that Fuego and Abe would
have the best care possible right away, and they will also have
comfort and care for the rest of their natural lives. Abe and
Fuego's former owners both donated money to Llama RescueNet and
to Brother Francis R&R, so their preparation, placement and
transportation costs were not borne by either organization.
Kato was a healthy three-year-old
with good fiber. He had been allowed to behave poorly in his
previous home, so even after castration, Kato wanted only to
get back in with "his" females, and he was causing
a great deal of havoc at the sanctuary. When the RescueNet volunteers
left, they took Kato back to their area so that Kato's behavior
issues could be addressed.
In his foster home, Kato could
no longer see the females he'd grown up believing were "his
property," and his behavior quickly became not only acceptable,
but even charming. Within a short time, Kato had been placed
as a valued fiber producer and companion with several alpacas
and another rescued llama.
Kato now has a productive and
happy life, and Brother Francis R&R llama sanctuary has more
space and funds to care for llamas who truly need to be there,
like Abe and Fuego!
 Kunta
Kunta was accepted into Llama
RescueNet's "Special Needs Placement Program," which
is designed to help hard-to-place llamas, but without the significant
cost of intake.
Kunta had previously been rescued
from an abusive situation and rehabilitated. However, Kunta still
needed special living conditions -- a private existance with
just one other llama -- to feel safe. Even a sanctuary could
not provide Kunta with that. And with only one ear, Kunta did
not appeal to very many humans. Kunta's rehabilitators applied
to Llama RescueNet for help with his placement, agreed to continue
to care for him, and also to make a donation to cover any costs
involved.
Llama RescueNet tried a number
of llamas with Kunta, and finally paired him with Country, whom
Kunta liked. The two llamas were then placed in a home away from
passers-by and with a small secluded pasture and roomy barn --
and Kunta has his very own special human friend. After years
of frustration, anger, fear, and loneliness, Kunta finally has
a safe haven for the rest of his life -- a very happy ending
indeed!
More
success stories are happening every day !!!
Our volunteers are maxed out,
and the llamas and necessary internal paperwork come before "extras"
. . . like anything that doesn't need to be fed! But whenever
they have time to scan and upload pictures of more RescueNet
llamas who've been adopted or placed under indefinite lease,
we'll post more stories. Keep checking back for more happy endings
and lucky llamas . . . or contact
a coordinator near you to learn how you can play a part
in Llama RescueNet success stories as they happen!
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