Northeast Llama Rescue

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.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

NYWRC helps on Animal Intervention episode, airs Oct 9th

NY Wildlife Rescue was called upon by the producers of the NatGeo show, Animal Intervention, to help with a case in upstate NY where a private zoo could no longer keep the animals. We were able to help by taking several bobcats and giving them a safe place to reside.

The episode will air on October 9th, 9pm. Do check your local listings just in case, of course.

Click to view the preview on the Animal Intervention website

Monday, March 14, 2011

Nice Article from The Daily Star

Thanks to Big Chuck D'Imperio, from TheDailyStar.com for this wonderful article on Wes and NYWRC/NELR!

http://thedailystar.com/bigchuck/x2002721734/Schoharie-savior-is-areas-own-Dr-Dolittle

Friday, February 18, 2011

Thanks Cornell University

During this rescue of the NY 100, there have been so many people that have helped, donated and given everything that they could to help these poor llamas. I hope to get our donations page updated tonight. I will put the "State of Donation Origin" after the donors names, if the donation didn't come from NY. Gigi Davidson,DVM, North Carolina Vet College helped us get the vaccinations that we would need to give all of the new llamas their first round of shots. Destron Microchips donatated the chips and readers to permanently ID all of the llamas in Montana. Mary Smith, DVM, and over 25 of her vet students from Cornell University provided the labor. I am rarely speechless, yesterday was another one of those days.
Yesterday started out like any other day at our facility. Nice spring morning, a lot of very happy llamas waiting to see me when I stumbled into the barn around 530half asleep as usual. I got everyone up, eating and started to formulate a game plan for the huge surge of labor that I was expecting on the farm. By 10 am our webmaster and dear friend Gayle Nastasi rolled in. She had one of the toughest jobs yesterday, she had to photograph and record every llamas' microchip so that she could come up with a database, not just for our records but for the virtual adoption fundraiser that Josh and Brent are doing with the Beekman Boys friends and fans. Next came volunteers Viv and Bob Fulton, Ive known the Fultons forever. They have been packing with llamas forever and were quick to email me to let me know that they wanted to adopt five of the guys when they were ready. Turns out that the Fultons are going to adopt 6 llamas since they found a llama that they had parted ways with years ago. I am sure that Moody Blue will be the first of many llamas that we figure out where they originally came from. We have a long list of people looking for "lost" llamas, there was only one llama that we found a microchip in that wasn't our chip....we are figuring that out. There were some llamas with metal ear tags, we are figuring those out. Gayle will have the llamas head shot photos up online soon so people can start looking for llamas that they might have known. We also had 6 guys with (actually 12) surprises, 6 of the "geldings" were actually intact studs so the gang from Cornell took care of that problem as well before they left to go back to Ithaca.
Shortly after my friends and volunteers arrived, the students from Cornell started rolling in one car at a time. I was kind of surprised that Cornell didnt send a van but the cars kept coming one after the other until around 25 vet students and their teacher, Mary Smith, DVM arrived. I took them on a tour of the farm and showed them "everything that we do at the zoo" so to speak. Then it was time for a game plan. With this many people we had to divide up tasks. Some students worked the chute that the llamas were going through. Some students prepared the syringes with the wormer, the rabies or the C.D. and T vacinations. As we started putting llamas through the chute, we quickly realized that giving 3 shots, feelin' for testicles, takin an ID photo and reading a microchip wasnt going to go as quick as we had hoped for. Some of the students broke off and put 5-7 llamas in a horse stall. Then in groups of 2-3 vets they gave shots, body scored the animal and wrote any immediate medical issues that Dr. Smith needed to see on a plastic ribbion around the llamas neck. Once all vet work was done, they were put through the chute where the microchip was read, the photo was taken, the neckband was removed and they got to go outside and hang out in the beautiful spring sun with their buddies.
About halfway through the herd, we stopped and had lunch. Hubie's Pizzeria in town donated ten pizzas to the cause. I really appreciate Chris and Jenn Hubbard's help. Whenever they know I am working with a large group of students at the farm that need to be fed, they always take great care of us....Viv made some great cookies. Gail made some cupcakes.....most of the students were finished eating and back to the barn before I had my second piece of pizza.
Everyone was a bit slower after lunch but we finally started to get into the groove and got into the routine. Of course the llamas that were last to be done were the ones that were not our most willing participants. The day concluded with a special surprise for the 6 male llamas that snuck on the trailer to NY from Montana with everything that they must have been hiding a month ago.....We have 100% neutered males (or geldings) now. It was a long day but a great day. In a month the CD and T and the rabies should be repeated. We are also coming up with a game-plan for getting the guys sheared this spring. I think that we will shear 50 llamas one weekend, the other 50 llamas the next weekend. I am taking adoption applications now for the guys, even though they will not be adopted out until the weather breaks this spring. The llamas need to get sheared and get looking better. The adoption applications are available to print on our website, then mail them in. For people that can not afford the small adoption fee, we can talk and some of the adoption fees will be offset by virtual adoptions from our Beekman Boys friends.

Just Added: Meet the Llamas Here

Pictures from Dr. Smith

Friday, February 11, 2011

Visit From Paul Taylor

Friend and photographer Paul Taylor stopped by the farm. We'd like to share a couple of his images with you. Thank you, Paul!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Llama 99

I usually like Wednesdays, the work week is half over and the coaster is going down the tracks. I also like Bactrian Camels a lot, hump day always makes me think of them. Today started out like any other day, (watch out when I start a blog like this you know it isn't going to be good). I got up at 5:30 am (as usual) and let the Border Collies out. The Border Collies wake up about 15 minutes before me and run from the bed to the door knowing that there is "stuff to do" outside. I got up and made coffee. Got some wood piled into the outside wood furnace; it is so cold. I am really ready for spring at this point, enough of winter. Then I let the dog boarders out into the kennels and head for the barn.

By the time I get outside, I can always hear the roosters crowing and the horses shuffling around their stalls. It isn't light yet but all of the animals know that I am coming and we all look forward to getting the day started. I like doing morning chores, it is just the critters and I in the a.m. Animals love to wake up and I have the best reason to get out of bed every morning. I usually get up before the alarm clock lets me know that I need to be out of bed. This morning wasn't much different than it has been for the last 3 weeks. First, I take hay out back and let the horses out. Then I put the llama grain and hay out in the front courtyard. Then I open the door so the llamas can go outside (weather pending).

The llamas love going outside but we lock them inside at night. I don't want them sleeping outside when it is this cold; I want them burning calories to live, not stay warm. I always stand by the door as all 98 llamas go bouncing by. Now since they know that there is grain out there waiting, the llamas have a "take no prisoner" approach to being the first 40 outside. When I first grained the NY 100 a week after they arrived from Montana, they walked through the grain. The llamas really didn't even know what it was. They are now getting free choice hay and water 24 hours a day and grain once a day. They also get free choice Stillwater Llama Minerals, which they love. By this weekend, I want to start graining them twice a day. With llamas starved this bad, you must take things slow. They didn't starve over night and getting them built back up will take time also.

The last thing that I do before getting my coffee is physical therapy with the llama that was too weak to walk upon arrival almost 3 weeks ago. I will always try to save a llama if they have "the look" in their eyes that they want to live. Unfortunately, with most llamas, once they go down into a kush....they almost never get back up for long. I had made it my personal mission to save this guy and get him back up on his feet. I felt that he had survived way too much to die in NY when he was home free on llama easy street. This morning, "Llama 99" as I've been calling him didn't look at me with his same "Wes we can do this" look in his eyes. I had built him a llama bouncy bounce with a sling and elastic straps, and with his new jacket (donated by Useful Llama Supplies). He was the best dressed llama in the barn. This morning he had the "Wes, when are you going to let me die?" look in his eyes. I told him that it was cold, told him that he was in a bad mood because the blood wasn't circulating yet and went through the stretches and production that I have done for almost the last 3 weeks before I could enjoy a cup of coffee for ten minutes before I have to get showered and dressed for school. I thought that he was just having a crappy morning, it happens to all of us.

At 11:15 today I ran home to meet with another great reporter from the Greenville News. NY Ag and Markets had just stopped at the farm, I'll catch up with them when they have an appointment. Cornell University is sending out 20+ vets on Feb 17th to help me give the llamas their vaccinations and parasite medications. We are also going to read microchips and take photos for the Beekman Boys Fundraiser on that day. As the reporter and I went into the barn, I realized that Llama Number 99 wasn't doing well in the chute. I immediately knew he died shortly after I left him this a.m. after physical therapy. I knew that he was saying good bye this a.m. and had given up the fight and will to live. I was angry that he had tried so hard and given up. I have only had one other llama get up after being down that long, maybe I should have euthanized him instead of giving him almost three weeks to try to get up. At least he died knowing that he was in a great place with lots of food, surrounded by the llamas he had known for years in Montana. He died knowing that his friends and their story would live on. I am selfish, I wanted him to live so I could say I saved him....sometimes you just have to let things go you can't control. I have to go now, I cant write anymore and as I told the reporter that was with me.....few people have ever seen me cry. WES

Monday, February 7, 2011

News Coverage on NY-100

The Cobleskill Times Journal, our primary local newspaper, did a wonderful front page write-up on the NY-100.

You can view it here:
http://www.timesjournalonline.com/details.asp?id=48595

Check out the Watershed Post's great blog article by Julia Reischel
http://www.watershedpost.com/2011/101-llamas

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Article in Daily Gazette online

Need a herd of rescued llamas?

Click the link above to view the online version of the article written by Jim Mcguire, reporter for the Schenectady Daily Gazette. Jim and his photographer Marc Schultz visited NELR yesterday to talk to Wes about the "New York 100".

For frequent updates and photos, join us on Facebook at http://facebook.dj/nywildlife/

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.