Beni and Captain Jack, Spreading Joy at the Portland Airport, by Katia Riddle for NPR Morning Edition
- Feb 13
- 3 min read
When Beni the llama and Captain Jack the alpaca saunter with their handlers through the front doors of Portland International Airport, time seems to stop.
People who were hustling to their gates stand still. Those who were occupied with their phones look up and stare. Some take videos. A crowd quickly forms. Within minutes, a dozen people are lined up for the chance to have their picture taken with one of these soft furry animals.
At least one traveler is moved to tears. "You can tell by my response how joyful I feel," says Lori Sackett, who is on her way from Portland to San Antonio with her husband to see their adult daughter. "What a gift."
Sackett is especially nostalgic about llamas since she worked with them in the 4-H youth group when her daughter was young – the same daughter she's on her way to visit. "She's going to just go wild when she sees the pictures," says Sackett. "I mean, it's a magical thing."
Mountain Peaks Therapy
Magic is a word invoked by more than one of the dozens of travelers who pause their journeys for a few minutes to get to know these gentle and social animals. Part of Portland International Airport's animal therapy program, they visit every few weeks from the farm where they live – Mountain Peaks Therapy. And when they're not at the airport, they have a busy schedule that includes corporate events, weddings, and other social gatherings.
“Their airport appearances are part of an effort to acknowledge that travel can be anxiety producing,” says Allison Ferre, spokesperson for the Port of Portland. A recent airport redesign also features live trees bathed in natural light and lofty ceilings built with locally sourced Douglas Fir. "Being in nature is a stress reliever," says Ferre. "The therapy animals are just one way we try to improve the traveler’s experience."
Llama Magic
Sackett says that “llama magic” is hard to describe without experiencing it. "Have you touched one?" she offers in explanation. I mean, they are soft and beautiful. And they have such sweet faces."
"These programs are wildly popular," says Gee. "People absolutely love them." "I think dogs elicit the same emotion," says Sackett. "But isn't this a million times more magnificent?"
Not all llamas and alpacas are good candidates for this kind of therapy, however, according to Shannon Joy, co-owner of Mountain Peaks Therapy. Working with local breeders, she looks for animals to recruit that are confident, calm, and "curious about us humans.”
In order to be credentialed as therapy animals, llamas and alpacas undergo extensive training. Among other things, they have to learn to tolerate being handled by many people. "It's maybe one in 15 llamas that are going to have that level of confidence and bodily autonomy." She puts the number of Alpacas at one in 75. "It's very rare."
Carrot Kisses, Anyone?
A favorite party trick both animals perform is giving "carrot kisses," a move that involves picking a carrot out of a human’s mouth.
Lori Sackett gave it a try, as did Varun Kataria, who was at first apprehensive, but eventually persuaded. "Oh OK. I'll try," he laughs and offers up a carrot in his teeth to Beni the llama. "Well done!" says Joy.
"I don't think I've put my mouth on an animal's mouth before," says Kataria, who is on his way home from a work trip. "It's kind of a nerve-wracking experience."
Kataria says he's been feeling stressed after the travel, and feels preoccupied with plans for a party he's throwing when he gets back home. But after this Beni moment, he says, "I feel good." The experience of kissing a llama snapped him right out of his worries.
More About Mountain Peaks Therapy
Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas and Alpacas is a farm based out of Ridgefield, Washington. With the help of their 5 llamas and 8 alpacas, mother/daughter duo Lori Gregory and Shannon Joy have found a mission in sharing the “llama llove” with those who appreciate the enjoyment of Animal-Assisted Therapy.
Starting in 2007, Lori and Shannon began taking their exceptionally sweet llamas and alpacas throughout the Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington area visiting senior communities, special-needs groups, and schools for therapeutic and educational interactions. By 2011, they were starting to have more and more inquiries for private parties and even weddings, which sparked the relationship between their 501(c)3 Non-Profit and their entertainment Classy Camelids, LLC. Through the support of entertainment meet-and-greet style appearances, not only do these events financially support their volunteer efforts with the non-profit, it also helps word-of-mouth reach the community about their therapeutic offerings for families and individuals looking for non-traditional Animal-Assisted Therapy.
Congratulations to Lori and Shannon for sharing such a brilliant idea with the rest of us!
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