March

3/2  SWLR will have a booth again this year at the Kerrville Folk Festival that is the end of May for 3 weeks. We’ll be setting out information, a donation jar, camelid-related things to sell, and hopefully a few really nice things to raffle. We just need some “things”! Please contribute! Send to 170 Hoofbeat Trl, Kerrville TX 78028-8780. Text L’illette at 720.839.0787 if you have questions. Please send donations by April 30th.
The booth is being shared with the Sierra Club & Festival feral cats with the theme “All Creatures, Great & Small”. Last year the booth was a success and raised funds for hay. Your donated items made all the difference.

3/2  Texas coastal grass hay is now $12.75 for 2 string bale (weight varies but about 40 lbs?). Alfalfa 2 string $18.50. Delivery is $3.25 per mile.  Coastal grass hay prices should be going down once the new hay is harvested. Alfalfa comes from other states thus no predictions on costs.

3/12  Best Friends used Trello software to coordinate adoptions/transport of over 100 cats across many agencies. It is a sticky note board like software for project management. I am working on a sample board with the FREE version. Does anyone have experience with using Trello? Would you want to experiment with setting up of a  board of administration tasks that are on the to do list?
Susan said, “Maybe Kris Page? I think she told me about it.”  baxter will contact Kris.

3/12-3/22  Possibilities for helping Loretta continued and leads were followed.   A short video of her trying out a set of wheels was posted.

February

2/1  Does anyone have experience or know of successes with the ReadySetAuction process? Non-profits could auction off donated items?   Looking at fundraising projects.

2/3  The advisory board members discussed the adoption fees then the Board voted on the fees to be $400 each llama.  The current application packet states “Contact your Adoption Coordinator for current adoption fees and policies.”

Board voted to set adoption fees to $400 each with option to reduce fees with some circumstances such as age, health status. Circumstances decision to be made by the adoption coordinator.

2/3  Thanks to all of you who donate for rescue efforts. Adoption fees are generally less than 10% of the expenses of SWLR. Rescue and vet and feed and care are supported by private donations such as YOU!
Discussion of the change followed. and a consensus was achieved among the volunteers.

22/8  Several reports are filed with the state of NM (for SWLR)  and with the federal government (for SWLR) and with the state of Texas (for CRC). The reports are in progress.  Below is the draft of the summary of accomplishments that will entered on some of the reports.

“In 2022, over 10,000 hours were donated by volunteers to accomplish rescue and care, feeding, medical care, and transportation (over 15,000 miles) of over 120 llamas/alpacas. Over 50 llamas/alpacas were placed in permanent homes, or re-homed, or into permanent foster care. Over 50 llamas/alpacas are in temporary foster care. Area of rescue included most states in the western US.”

Your input into the hours spent by volunteers and the accomplishments was appreciated.
KUDOS to ALL of us volunteers.

2/15  SWLR gets calls about how to shear or trim nails on an untrained llama. Would you be willing to share pictures of your restraining methods? May we post them on the website?

In use here is the cross tie with panels that we squeeze with one of us on the inside normally with the llama. We will trim nails inside a trailer as long as the llama is cross tied in the trailer. Sometimes we trim the nails before unloading the llama from the trailer. Our shearers do not use a chute. I will attach a couple of pictures to get started. Cross tie is essential with the lead ropes clipped on the sides (not the front). Ropes are tied with a quick release knot. There is also a quick release clip that we have used.

What works for you? May we share it on the website?

2/20  Since Amazon Smile quit as of yesterday, baxter is trying iGive.com and ordering thru that website from selected stores.
Other suggestions to support Southwest Llama Rescue when items are ordered online?

2/23  3 legged Loretta is back with us at the Kerrville Sanctuary. During her short stint at a foster, her good rear leg does not support her weight. We are gathering information and considering options. Simone, Rosemary, Jerry, Nina and Susan all offered suggestions to help her.

2/25  baxter responded with an update on progress for Loretta:  Jules, a volunteer about an hour from here,  has loaned us a contraption called a “Floki mobile”. It is made out of PVC with wheels and a belly sling similar to a “Merry Walker” but for a small llama. We are evaluating the use of it for Loretta and hope to send pictures.  Jules is also looking into the wheelchairs that are used for back legs of large dogs. She is also checking into the possibility of a 3D prosthesis donated by students in San Antonio doing research on 3D printers. Her support & input has been very helpful.

Would anyone want to do the research/coordinating/organizing for Loretta’s prosthesis that is required? It would mean google research and phone calls and discussing with contacts. Kerrville is a small town but within 80 miles of San Antonio. Searching for prosthetic companies in the area and contacting them about Loretta would be helpful if anyone would take on the project. Nearest vet school is Texas A&M, about 4 hour drive from here one way.

L’illette and I are volunteering more than full time already to take care of the llamas here and the adoptions, intakes, training, facilities, fundraising, and administration. Even the bottle feeding takes time away from the other projects here that need volunteer time. Volunteers are at an all time low ever since COVID. Local volunteers are limited and volunteers from out of town need housing and food that adds to the project list.

While implementing the mobility devices, the physical therapy, and facility adaptation does take someone who is here with Loretta, the research does not require a person to be present in order to get the information and coordinate. Would anyone want to coordinate the “leg for Loretta” project?

On 2/26, Rosemary offered to take on some of the work and has already contacted a husband/wife team of doctors to see what they might know.

2/25  The federal 990-EZ has been completed with this statement of accomplishments:
In 2022, over 150 llamas/alpacas were helped by our volunteers who donated over 10,000 hours to accomplish rescue and care, and transport (over 25,000 miles). Over 110 llamas/alpacas were placed in new homes. Volunteers are caring for over 30 llamas at foster farms. Area of rescue includes most states in the western US.

The NM Secretary of State annual report and the NM Attorney General annual report have also been completed. Acceptance acknowledgements are expected.

2/26  baxter updated us on the goings on at the Kerrville Sanctuary:  Training:
Good news is that Tracy Annis is coming Tuesday to help us train. There are at least 16 llamas in Kerrville that need training. 2 more that are fostered nearby that need training with our help. The main volunteer trainer, Niki, moved back to New York to be with family.

Adoptions:
10 llamas are tentatively being adopted by 4 different people. Adoptions are in progress with some logistics to complete such as fencing repairs, weaning timing, or training completion. Some folks transport the adopted llamas but some do not have trailers thus there can be transport to arrange.

Herd maintenance & health:
A farm call is scheduled for Wednesday for a castration of a new arrival in addition to advising us on the knock-kneed (valgus?) deformity of a youngster from the 11 Mile herd in Colorado.
Latest two arrivals need toenail trimming, wormer, and shearing (at least the big mats as it is 80 degrees in Texas now). Shearing is scheduled for April along with herd health spa day thanks to Leslie Lane Llamas and a volunteer who donates funds for the shearing.
Several old llamas with arthritis or downed pasterns receive meloxicam, and FlexMor supplement in addition to equine senior treat.

Facilities:
Texas is experiencing extreme weather (as all of you). Freezing one day and 80 degrees with high winds the next. We cover ends of shelters with blankets and provide coats for some of the old ones in the extreme cold, turn on heat lamps, and haul warm water. Now it is 70 degrees today but as I tell the trees, “not yet, last freeze day is normally about Easter, so hold your buds.”  Our shelters have made it thru the high winds with little damage which is always a blessing.
How are things with your farm & your llamas/alpacas?

January

1/19  Letters for year end acknowledgement of donations will be sent soon. This is the body of the letter that is the summary of SWLR accomplishments for the year:

Southwest Llama Rescue, Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization with an all volunteer membership. 100% of your donation supports SWLR with rescue, transport, care, and placement of llamas/ alpacas. This has been another eventful year with over 100  llamas/alpacas fostered or helped during 2022 which included over 60 llamas that came into SWLR during this Fall alone. Over 50 llamas were adopted into new homes. Over 50 llamas are in foster homes being trained in order to place into permanent homes. Training takes time and talent plus funds for feeding and veterinarian care. The intact males are gelded, fighting teeth trimmed and all are vaccinated. One llama was caught up in barbed wire and needed extra care. One cria is now 3 legged due to arriving with a compromised leg from a birth issue. Volunteers can continue to share their talents, time, and love for llamas/alpacas & the llama community thanks to those of you who donate and help financially.

1/21  2 groups of 2 llamas left the Kerrville Sanctuary for new foster homes this week.  2 geldings will be with Jocelyn near Texas A&M and 2 females will be joining some other adoptees at Helen’s place near LaVernia south of San Antonio.

1/27 2 geldings were transported by Aaron to Cortney in Fredericksburg.  L’illette is mentoring this new llama owner since she is only about 1/2 hour away.

1/30  Amazon Smile is ending the program on February 2023. SWLR received $372 last year from Amazon Smile. I used it for all my online purchases but the percentage was low. Here is some info on donations for 2022:
GoFundMe thru Paypal Giving Fund               approx $2000
(Bella & Loretta vet bills fundraisers)
Facebook donations thru Network for Good  approx $1200
Impact Assets                                                            $500
Amazon Smile                                                           $372
Network for Good                                       approx   $100
Just Give (Great Nonprofits)                        approx   $100
iGive                                                                          $30

Thanks to all of you who donate thru any of these various ways.