Please also see our other blog at

http://nywildliferescue.blogspot.com/

It is more active than this one. Always check there for updates, too.



Northeast Llama Rescue was started by Wes and Darcy Laraway of Middleburgh, NY.

Several years ago they rescued their first llama out of a tiny horse pen. Since that day, Northeast Llama Rescue has helped dozens of Camelids from several different states. The primary mission of Northeast Llama Rescue is to educate owners on how to properly care for their animals.

We also offer assistance with a traveling chute to shear, worm, and trim toenails on hard to handle animals. A 'TRUE REPUTABLE BREEDER" should help out the llama down the road that is not being cared for by owners that understand the needs of llamas.

If you know of a llama owner who is no longer able to care for their animals, there is help available. Members of Northeast Llama Rescue will adopt any unwanted animals. Rescue animals will be relocated to farms of members for training and necessary vet work.

If a llama is able to be rehabilitated, he will be available after a careful screening process. All rescues are placed in homes with a contract that says they shall be provided for and can not be sold. In the event a rescue animal becomes unwanted, the llama MUST be returned to Northeast Llama Rescue.

If you share our philosophy and love for the animals, you are more than welcome to join us! There are lots of llamas that need a person to love.

We also rescue farm animals, and are licensed wildlife rehabilitators.

This site is copyrighted by Wes Laraway.

Monday, July 13, 2009

New developments


Photos in this blog entry
courtesy of Paul Taylor

I don't know really where to begin this blog, it is 2am, I'm exhausted, have to share....

We have been working really hard to get everything done for our Open House this Saturday. Chris, Justin and Bob have been working hard to get the new skunk, possum, and coon caging in before our Open House. Since all of our existing enclosures have trees in them, Oscar is getting a brand new enclosure (without anything to injure himself on yet) to get some more exercise while continuing to heal. Lets hope the concrete company can come tomorrow.






We've had some great baby Possums and another fawn come in from another wildlife rehabber that we love to work with from Oneonta. We've had a lot of great animals come in that are fixable and will go back into the wild.

This past Sunday, the Sunday Gazette featured us as a front page cover story. The photographer and reporter did a first class job. We have gotten a lot of great feedback on it and I hope that it gets the word out about what we are doing. This past Thursday the Mountain Eagle also did a great story on us, I am flattered. I don't do what I do for PR, I do it because I love it and it is the right thing to do. I don't give or take compliments well, I feel relieved that people validate and appreciate what we do here at New York Wildlife Rescue Center. After around 20 years of saving animals, we are getting some recognition ... which I hope will help us continue to expand our facility so that we can help/house more animals in first class style. This has always been important to us. I will ask Gayle to get the stories up as a link so that you can read both articles.

Thanks, I really appreciate everyone's support; besides the checks, you can help our cause by telling everyone that you know about what we do. Encourage your address book to check out our website.

On Saturday, we had a great visit by some folks looking to adopt some rescue animals for their farm. I liked the couple and their farm manager a lot; they picked out some of the llamas that I rescued earlier this year from the big rescue. They decided to adopt several llamas, a goat and the old donkey that came in a few weeks back. I am purposely keeping their identity and privacy guarded. When I delivered the critters, I was pleased to see that these animals will be leading the good life (not like I would let anyone adopt anything that wouldn't be). It wasn't about the farm (which is something out of a magazine) -- money doesn't impress me unless it is used for good: used to help kids or animals. The animals will have a great life with them. What I liked most was the people. I meet some really bad people doing what I do. These folks love their animals as much as I do. They have the means to make sure these animals never have another care in the world. They are adopting some more animals from us this Sunday. It isn't about the money with me, although I need it to keep our rescue facility expanding, you don't need to have money to take great care of your animals. The people are what makes animals happy with love. Their housing, food, care will be second to none ... I'm thrilled and they can adopt whatever they want, I just hope that they don't adopt too many animals to enjoy them or get to know them. But I know that they will be very involved in the lives of their animals. The animals that we've rescued here are very fortunate to be with them. I love a story with a happy ending. I really couldn't be happier about where the animals are living. They are going to adopt a few more animals and I cant wait to take them to their great new home.

Today all of our high school students started work at New York Wildlife Rescue Center. It was like a fairground here with parents dropping off kids; we have a total of 20 volunteers under the age of 20 years old. After an orientation meeting with me, I gave them a tour of the farm. Workforce Solution is a great program. They get these kids working, making money, stay out of trouble and they worked hard today. We got two pasture sheds painted today, chores, cleaning and even had time to start painting the fences. Many hands can make light work and I look forward to working with all of these students daily until the end of the summer.

To our helpers: I will teach you a lot about animals, hard work, ethics and we will have a lot of fun also. We'll have 3 different shifts at the Center this summer. One group will work 8-1, the next group will work 1 to 6, the last group are the construction guys (mostly former students that worked at the facility in high school) who often volunteer after their jobs until midnight. I will work along side of all of you, I will always be the last one to sit down ... unless I have to feed something.

Going on 3 am. Time to feed the baby bat and get some shut eye....
Till tomorrow, another day,
Wes
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1 comment:

Sharon Day said...

I love your blog. I have to admit, seeing the critters and hearing about good deeds just warms my heart and makes a day where people cut me off in traffic and give me the finger seem inconsequential.

July 14, 2009 at 4:15 PM

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Northeast Llama Rescue by Wes Laraway

The Northeast Llama Rescue was started by Wes and Darcy Laraway several years ago after they rescued their first llama out of a tiny horse pen. Since that day, the Northeast Llama Rescue has helped dozens of animals in 5 states. The primary mission of Northeast Llama Rescue is to educate owners on how to care for their animals properly. We also offer assistance with a traveling chute to shear, worm and trim toenails on hard to handle animals. If owners get "tired" of the daily maintenance of their herds, members of the Northeast Llama Rescue will adopt or buy, if possible, any unwanted animals. Rescue animals go to the farms or members of the organization.

The Northeast Llama Rescue does not wish to compete with other rescue organizations, although any llama or alpaca is welcome. We need to cooperate to help ALL camelids, not just registered or "nice-looking" ones. Everyone has the right to breed and sell llamas, but a true reputable breeder will "help out" the llama down the road that is not being cared for, regardless of its age, sex or conformation.

Our last rescue came from Central New York. A farm had purchased 9 animals from a Midwest auction. Four of the animals had died from natural causes....starvation? The owner had health problems and no longer wanted the animals. After several other concerned people failed to negotiate their sale, I eventually called and within five minutes we had agreed on a price and the deal was done. The next night, Wes Laraway, Kim Scheurerman and P.J. Wagner went to pick up the animals. The owner informed us that the llamas were wild and could not be handled. Within five minutes all were calmly caught, on lead ropes and in the trailer, with us using a wand and some TEAM Training techniques. The owner thought I was the "llama whisperer" because I got those llamas to do things in five minutes that she couldn't do in a year. She unfortunately knew nothing about handling llamas.

Three hours later, we were back into quarantine at Red Maple Farm starting "damage control". The animals were immediately wormed, fed fresh hay and grain, and watered. All were body scored under three by sight and by feeling through their wool. This hands-on inspection revealed barbed wire that needed to be cut out of the fiber. We decided NOT to shear because it was too late in the year and they were too thin.

Another concern was an ingrown halter. One of the best ways to remove ingrown halters is to undo the buckle(s) and cut the nose band with sharp toenail clippers on each side of the nose. Then gradually, over time, the remaining pieces will fall out. With application of an antibiotic cream, any wounds from the ingrown halter will heal quickly. In this particular case, the halter came out of the nose and was added to the "wall of shame" in our barn (along with the barbed wire and ear tags still on them from the auction they were purchased from). The blood stream stopped within fifteen minutes and now, after a month, we can tell that scarring will be minimal. Please tell everyone you know that owns camelids, NEVER leave a halter on a llama! Even in a week, with wet conditions, a halter can embed itself in a llama's nose.

My biggest concern was the 10 month old female that was exposed to her father. If bred, we decided to abort the unborn cria for the safety and well-being of the young female. None of these five animals were over the age of three years. All of them, over the following months, would need intense care and proper nutrition. The animals were all updated on health requirements and gelded. All of these animals would need training before they could go up for adoption.

New problems continuously arose. Two weeks after they arrived, one of the females surprised us with a weak, constipated fourteen pound male cria. Within hours I knew it wasn't "normal" so mom and baby were moved to a quarantine pen in the barn. The decision was made to supplement the cria with goat colostrum and give him an enema. Although the cria was walking, he continued to strain to relieve himself. Around the clock surveillance did not reveal any nursing or defecation. At two days old, I found very small maggots between the cria's toes and by his umbilical cord. After consulting my vet again, the cria got a bath and dried out in the heated office before going back to mom in the barn. My vet explained that crias born on rainy days must be completely dry or flies will lay eggs in moist areas of umbilical fluid. I've never heard of this problem before but I know now to check my newborn crias for maggots every day. After five days of constant care, we lost "Trooper"....I guess it was not meant to be, but we tried.

The rest of the animals are doing well today. Concerned individuals found them, bought them and will protect them. Today is actually a special day, because the vet did fecals on them and all five of them are parasite free and can join our llama herd. After training and further rehabilitation, by Spring 2001 this group of animals will be available for adoption to carefully approved homes. All animals sold or placed by Northeast Llama Rescue will be adopted with a legal contract. The contract states that if the llama ever becomes unwanted or is not cared for properly, the animal will return to Red Maple Farm for a full refund. I used to think I could save every unwanted llama in the world...I know that I can't . It is too great an undertaking for one farm to rescue all the unwanted camelids out there. For this reason, several other farms have joined in the effort with Red Maple Farm to pool resources and save neglected and unwanted camelids.

Any farm that shares our philosophy that every llama deserves a life with proper care is welcome to join us. We are people who genuinely love all llamas and want to make a difference one llama at a time. Eventually we will print an educational brochure to hand out at events with member farms listed. Don't just tell people that you love your llamas; show people by making a difference and actually save one. Always quarantine new animals for at least one month while getting wormings, vaccines and nutritional needs in order. Always do a fecal exam and consult your vet about when new animals should go out with the herd. Geld all males and most of all BE PATIENT. Llamas are very forgiving animals and will learn to love and trust again with gentle care and training.