Why llamas?

Llamas are gentle and sensitive creatures that are becoming more and more popular across the world. Less intimidating than a horse, yet just as cuddly as a cat or dog in the right environment - they inhabit a niche area of popular consciousness that is not fully appreciated until you have met and experienced the magic of these beautiful souls in person.

Why fund raise?

There is a regular need to rehome llamas in the UK. We currently serve as the Llama Rehoming Coordinator for the British Llama Society. This role involves coordinating the rehoming of any llama where the owner can no longer care for the animal. Unfortunately this scenario occurs all too often for all sorts of reasons, and in all likelihood, this requirement will grow in the near future due to the current fashionability of llamas in popular culture.

How your money will be used

We want to establish a base of operations for llama rehoming, where animals can be brought, trained, given medical care, and provided with a permanent lifelong home. We are currently seeking finance to assist with this initiative and want to kick start proceedings on Just Giving.

Our target figure is ambitious but an unfortunate reality of the practicalities of caring for large animals - they require lots of space, grazing, shelter, care facilities, veterinary care, food, clean water supplies, and appropriate transportation so that we can travel the country rescuing animals in need. If we are truly to become a one stop shop centre of excellence for everything llama, we are going to need finance to match the ambition.

Hitting the funding target would allow us to start realising this dream and commence the rehoming of llamas, giving us a platform to build off. Once the organisation is established, we want the sanctuary to become financially sustainable by offering popular llama based services to the public such as llama walks, holiday accommodation at the sanctuary, llama picnics etc. Donators will of course be able to come and visit the rehomed llamas and the new sanctuary.

Therapy llamas in the community

Once established, our secondary goal is to work with community groups across society who could potentially benefit from animal interaction in the form of therapy llamas. Examples of areas that we will work with include children and adults with special educational needs and disabilities, retirement homes, and disadvantaged groups across society.

The llamas are not intended as replacements for conventional care / assistance, but can be used in a manner that compliments existing care and therapy, and aids in positive outcomes for the individuals interacting with the llamas. It brings opportunities to individuals who would not normally have the chance to get up close with an exotic highly tactile animal and experience nature and rural life.

Sustainability, job creation & wildlife restoration

Once we are sustainable financially, we will be looking to generate job opportunities for local communities who will be able to work alongside the animals. We will also seek to expand the sanctuary to other animals, and work to reintroduce missing native species into new areas of the country i.e. red squirrels. We will seek to restore missing native habitats and balance the grazing of large hebivores with agroforestry principles - planting trees amongst the animals in a natural synergy that will aid in carbon sequestration.

Get involved!

Our thanks in advance for any help that you can provide. If you are unable to assist financially but want to get involved in other ways please do drop us a line and we'll get back to you asap! Whilst we have a strong vision and are confident that we have the skills and expertise to pull it off, fund raising and organised philanthropy is a totally new area for us to become involved in so we are happy to speak and accept guidance and advice from anyone experienced in this field.

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www.llamasanctuary.uk