After rescue success, new homes sought (with photo gallery)

PHOTOGRAPHER: David Lombardo

Wes Laraway had never planned on transporting more than 100 llamas from Montana to his farm in Schoharie County, but as he oversaw the remaining herd on Thursday, he said the decision was the right one.

“In the six months the llamas have been here, I have no regrets at all,” Laraway said. “And they would have been dead if they hadn’t come here, but it’s time to move them on to greener pastures, so to speak.”

Asked in November if he could come to the aid of llamas that were dying at a rate of 12 to 20 a day at the Montana Large Animal Sanctuary, which had suddenly been closed and abandoned its herd, Laraway had been hesitant. Ultimately, the constant reminders of death led him to act through Northeast Llama Rescue and New York Wildlife Rescue, which both operate on his 30-acre property.

“When they got here … they had been on a trailer for five days and literally days away from being starved to

death. They were on their last legs,” he said. When the llamas arrived from Montana, one had died in transit and another was put down shortly afterwards; a few more were so far gone that they never recovered from their poor treatment.

From the original 100 that arrived alive, Laraway was able to find homes for about 30 and is now down to 67 on his property. “I’d love to see another 40 llamas get adopted before the snow flies,” he said. “I definitely need to get some of these guys adopted out this summer.”

Those hoping to adopt a llama need to fill out an adoption application online in which they promise to provide fencing, shelter, food and water and commit to taking at least two llamas. “I won’t allow one llama to be adopted alone,” Laraway said, as he believes it is cruel to deny them a companion.

Those who do end up adopting a llama have the option of returning it, but they can’t simply hand it off to someone else. Because Laraway feels responsible for the llamas and every one of the 500 animals he rescues each year, they’ll always have him in their corner, looking out for their interests, he said. None of the recently adopted llamas have been returned.

“If they ever don’t want them, for whatever reason, they must come back here,” he said. “Once I rescue an animal, that animal has my backing for the rest of its life.”

About 20 llamas will probably have to stay on the farm because their health never rebounded well enough for them to leave Laraway’s care. For the most part, the llamas that survived a winter diet without grass and the cramped quarters of a comparatively small barn have shown serious signs of improvement, as evident by much fatter thighs.

“All the hay and grain I can feed them isn’t as good as just green grass for an animal that’s dying. Since they went up on the mountain, they’ve really blossomed. I’ve started to see weight gain,” Laraway said. “I would still like to get 50 to 100 pounds on all of them, but it took years to starve them to death, so they’re not going to come back overnight.”

Thursday afternoon, dozens of the llamas seemed committed to gaining weight, as they munched away on grass and hay, with some opting to eat lying down.

The easygoing llamas let people approach them and appear to have no problem mingling with donkeys, goats and other animals that share the space. Characterized as having the temperament of cats, Laraway said he chose to first rescue llamas 20 years ago because they’re safe around people.

A major concern now is the issue of funding the operation, with winter food costs totaling about $1,000 a week for the llamas. In the aftermath of the Montana rescue, the news coverage made it easier for Laraway to raise money, with people calling in to contribute money, goods and services.

Now he is hoping that renewed attention on the remaining llamas will help spur a new wave of fundraising, especially since he operates without state or federal aid. In total, he spent about $80,000 saving animals last year, with an undisclosed amount of that money coming from him and his wife, Darcy, who are both teachers at Middleburgh Central School.

Additionally, about 40 to 60 days of wildlife preservation conservation shows every year generate revenue for the rescue efforts.

Yet, while donations have dried up, interests in the llamas has not waned. People still routinely show up unannounced on Laraway’s property to sneak a peak or request a tour, with nine cars coming Sunday. “People drive up and they want to visit, but we’ve gotten to the point where we only do visitors by appointment,” Laraway said. “It’s become a hindrance, because when I’m [serving] as the ringmaster, I’m not getting anything done.”

And there is a lot to get done, with the Laraways overseeing a large tract of land and two small buildings that house animals in various stages of recovery. He referred to one building as the home for the “Oh my god, train wreck” animals, which he is gingerly nursing back to health.

“Every day is an adventure here,” he said. “My phone starts ringing at seven in the morning, and we go all day long. Every day is a different adventure, depending on what phone call I get.”

People can learn more about the New York Wildlife Rescue and Northeast Llama Rescue, located on the Laraways’ Red Maple Farm, including the variety of animals and ongoing efforts, or make a donation to the cause at http://redmaplefarm.net/.