Kids and animals were a natural combination and Charlie already had the kids doing little “tours” of the petting zoo with maps and educational materials that took them through the animal kingdom from the local area in Louisiana to Peru where alpacas originated and all the way to Madagascar with the lemurs. She also had visions of having the kids connect virtually once they got home to share about the animals in their own backyards.
There was all kinds of potential—they just hadn’t had time, or the staff, to implement much, and Jordan was the perfect person to do it. She not only had the background in teaching, but the background in science and biology specifically.
As she walked down the fence line of the alpaca pasture she found herself humming.
Just two days ago she’d woken up in the penthouse suite in a Vegas casino hotel, preparing to join Jason on a huge stage in front of a crowd of country music fans.
Now she was on her way to get to know the alpacas better.
She was going to be doing a presentation to a bunch of preschool kids tomorrow and she wanted to get the animals used to having her around so that she could talk to the kids with the animals nearby.
There were actually three pens. One where they kept the male alpacas and one for the females—the boys were a lot more mellow when the girls weren’t distracting them—and one they used for more up close and personal interactions with humans and a couple of animals at a time.
Right now, Regan Reynolds, the physical therapist from over in Bad, was there working with a patient.
“Hey, Regan,” Jordan called as she got closer.
Regan looked over and raised a hand. “Hi, Jordan.” She looked down at her patient. “This is Carter.”
Carter gave Jordan a big smile. “Hi.”
“Hi, Carter. Can I come in for a second?”
“Sure.” Carter looked up at Regan. “Okay?”
“Definitely.”
Jordan opened the pen and stepped inside, closing the gate behind her. She made her way to where Carter was sitting in his wheelchair on a patch of dirt that was flatter than the rest of the pasture. She guessed they’d cleared the area specifically for wheelchairs. “What are you guys up to?”
“I’m doing my therapy with llamas!” Carter told her.
He looked like he was about six or seven.
“Actually, they’re alpacas,” Jordan said. “Do you know the difference?”
He shook his head.
Jordan reached her hand out to Alpacasso, the alpaca that, according to Charlie, was the most docile with the kids during Regan’s therapy sessions. Cass sniffed her fingers and let Jordan run her hand down the side of her neck.
“Well the main difference is their size,” Jordan told him. “Llamas are bigger. And they have longer faces and ears.” She pointed to Cass’s ears. “Alpacas have cute, rounder faces and shorter ears. And alpacas have softer hair. They make yarn out of alpaca wool.” She smiled at his wide eyes. “Also alpacas are a little sweeter than llamas. Llamas can be kind of stubborn. But, they can also be used as guard animals for alpacas and sheep. Isn’t that cool?”
Carter nodded. “I love Cass. She’s so nice.” He stroked his hand over the animal’s side.
“I’m glad you get to work with her,” Jordan said. “Do you mind if I watch for a little bit?”
“Oh, we love that,” Regan said. “Carter is doing so well. We love to show that off, don’t we?”
“Yes!” Carter said enthusiastically. “I used to hate working on walking but with Cass it’s so fun!”
Jordan lifted her eyes to Regan. “This is really wonderful. When Charlie told me about how you use the animals in therapy, I couldn’t wait to see it.”
Regan grinned. “It was something that just came up one day. Carter was actually the reason. He isn’t kidding when he said he used to hate working on walking. He’s got CP—cerebral palsy,” she explained. “Tell Jordan what that means, buddy.”
“My brain got hurt when I was born,” Carter said. “And that makes my muscles not work right. It makes them tight.”
Regan nodded. “Yep. So we work on movements to keep your muscles stretched and keep them strong and your joints from getting too tight and painful.” She pointed to how he was petting the alpaca. “Even that much reaching and moving back and forth is an exercise.”
Jordan noticed that Carter had something around his wrist. “Is that a weight?”
“When I pet or feed the animals, I have to have my wrist weights on,” Carter told her.
Regan smiled. “That’s our deal, isn’t it? You get to play with Cass but get your therapy done at the same time.”
“And Cass helps you stand up and walk?” Jordan asked. Charlie had told her the generalities as they’d done the tour of the petting zoo that morning, but Jordan was excited to see it in action.
“He uses this strap to help pull himself up,” Regan said, indicating the nylon strap that was wrapped around the alpaca’s shoulders. “And then he walks with her as she takes steps. She’s really good about letting me lead her so it’s nice and slow and steady.”
“Charlie said you’ve been working with Cass in particular,” Jordan said.
“She’s a good size and has a great temperament for this,” Regan told her. “She’s gentle and patient. I came and hung out with the alpacas for a couple of weeks after work and got to know them before I decided she’d be the best.”
“And you use some of the other animals for things too? With other patients?” Jordan asked.
Regan nodded. “I’m still coming up with ideas and researching. Mostly I’m using a trip over here to see the animals and have a chance to get up close to them as a reward.” She glanced at Carter. “Or a bribe,” she said with a laugh. “But I have an older guy who just had a stroke who’s come over with me and we’re using the alpaca to get him stretching and reaching with his affected arm and hand just like Carter. And I have a high school athlete who was in a car accident who’s just generally really depressed. The animals aren’t a direct part of his therapy but being here around them seems to help him get through the painful stuff a little easier.”
Jordan shook her head. “Wow. That’s really cool. I’d love to learn more.”
“Sure. I can email you some resources and you’re welcome to join me anytime.”
“Thanks, I’m going to do that.”
She stayed and chatted for a little longer, watching Carter and Regan work. Then she headed down the fence line to check on the other alpacas.
She stopped at the space in the fence where most of the guests were able to take photos of and sometimes even with the alpacas when they were feeling especially curious and friendly.
One of them, Alpaccino, the oldest of the alpacas and the one most used to human interaction, came strolling over.
“Hey, big guy,” she said softly.
Charlie and Griffin had taken time earlier to introduce her to all of the animals. She’d taken notes about all of their names, but she was finding it already easy to tell the alpacas from one another.
For the next couple of days she was going to be getting used to being around animals and vice versa. Griffin had stressed that it was important the animals learn her scent and get used to her touching and handling them before she would be able to help guests do the same.