Yesterday I received an email from Sheila Fugina who is a participant in Camelid Community 2008. Sheila is also on the Board of Directors for the International Camelid Institute. Camelid Community occurs annually and is the only national forum that offers the opportunity for dialog among representatives of national, regional and local camelid organizations as well as interested individuals and owners. Camelid Community provides a unique opportunity for an assessment of the “state of the union” of the camelid world.
Sheila’s email had attached to it the final version of a brochure “The Basics of Alpaca and Llama Care” which was produced at Camelid Community 2008.
As the alpaca population grows some alpacas are being sold through sale barns, auction houses, petting zoos and “backyard breeders”. Llamas too are being sold at these venues. People who purchase their alpacas or llamas at these type of venues are often left high and dry when it comes to the necessary information to ensure that their alpaca or llama has a happy healthy life. They do not receive the mentoring or support that a reputable alpaca or llama breeder would give them.
A reputable alpaca or llama breeder will take care to make sure that people who purchase their alpacas or llamas have the necessary knowledge to care for their alpacas or llamas. A reputable breeder will mentor and support their alpaca or llama clients and will maintain contact with those clients to ensure that their alpacas or llamas are well cared for. A reputable breeder will never sell a single alpaca or llama to someone who does not already own alpacas or llamas, unless that person has made arrangements to board their alpaca or llama at a facility that has other alpacas or llamas to provide company.
Quite often reputable alpaca and llama breeders will find themselves being contacted by people who have purchased alpacas or llamas from a less reputable breeder. The new alpaca or llama owner is bewildered as to why their alpaca or llama is not doing well or is failing to interact with them.
To help educate potential and new alpaca and llama owners the Camelid Community have produced “The Basics of Alpaca and Llama Care” brochure. The brochure is a simple, inexpensive document that can be distributed to outlets such as sale barns, feed stores, vets and shearers. The document even has a field left blank so that whoever is distributing the brochures can put their contact information on the brochure, providing a local contact for those who pick up a copy. The document can also be posted on organizational and individual web sites for others to download and print the brochure.
I think this is a great idea and I am grateful to all at Camelid Community who volunteered their time and skills for this project. Hopefully the availability of this document will help some people make a better-educated decision as to whether they are really ready to own alpacas or llamas and also provide a way for new alpaca or llama owners to make contact with local reputable breeders who can answer their questions and help them raise their alpacas or llamas successfully.
Sheila’s email mentioned that the brochure will be available for download on the International Camelid Institute website at www.icinfo.org. I went onto the International Camelid Institute website yesterday and could not find the brochure there, but I am sure it will be posted in the next few days. In the meantime if you would like a copy of “The Basics of Alpaca and Llama Care” document, feel free to drop me an email and I will send you a copy.
A Taste of Life at Windrush Alpacas 