Published 07:02 IST, January 8th 2021
US: Man rescues 'friendly' llama wandering off highway in Massachusetts
A passerby in US recently spotted a wandering llama in an open field and with the help of an animal control officer, brought it to a farm for safekeeping
Advertisement
A passerby in Massachusetts, US, recently spotted a wandering llama in an open field and with the help of an animal control officer, brought it to a farm for safekeeping. According to Associated Press, Patrick Boddy was driving in Newburyport when he spotted the male grey-and-white llama. Boddy, who last year rescued two street dogs, stopped his truck and approached the animal on January 4 in a bid to make sure that it was unharmed.
Boddy said that the llama was sitting alone in an open area off Hale Street, near Interstate 95. He said that the animal acted “very chill”, although he fully expected that it would get spooked and run away. But to his surprise the llama sat there, seeming unbothered by his presence.
“I had my arm around the thing, kind of calming him down. It was just really gentle and friendly. I knew it must’ve been some kind of pet or something,” Boddy told the Boston Globe.
‘Recognize this pretty llama?’
Eventually, Boddy contacted the animal control office and Kayla Provencher, the officer for both Newburyport and West Newbury, was then alerted. Provencher said that when she reached the location it was kind of funny to see just one llama and one guy, standing next to each other looking at her as she came down the embankment. After the animal control officer’s arrival, both Boddy and Provencher then called around local farms to see if any were missing a llama.
Provencher said, “I’m not sure where he came from or how he got there”. She added that the llama was, however, hungry and drank a lot of water, indicating that he was in need of some care. After spending hours looking for the llama’s owner, Provencher then turned to social media to help solve the case. But she didn’t have any leads on the wandering llama’s owner, even after posting photos of him on the animal control’s Facebook page.
Now, the llama is being housed just across the state line in New Hampshire with farm owner Carly LeSage. She owns other livestock but has never had a llama. LeSage said that she did a night check with the animal and even had a glass of wine with him. “I’m kind of a little attached to him at this point,” she added. LeSage also said that if no owner comes forward, she is considering keeping the animal herself.
(With inputs from AP)
07:02 IST, January 8th 2021