Ridgefield, Washington (by Billie Wright) - Shannon Joy and her mother, Lori, utilize llamas and alpacas for huggable therapy experiences. Their farm, Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas & Alpacas, is a faith-based nonprofit organization that connects people of all walks of life with their social animals.
Most recently, Shannon was invited to take a pair of llamas to Portland International Airport (PDX) to help travelers alleviate stress, "You get to see the unexpected come over peoples' faces. They're not expecting to see a llama, let alone two, just walking down the hallway."
Shannon says, "The airport is the most fun! I usually say they have this unicorn affect...to actually see one face-to-face. It's like a giant stuffed animal."
Shannon takes her llamas and alpacas to visit senior communities, schools, and other locations, including at-home events.
Shannon and Lori's faith plays a large role in what they do. Shannon says, "For me, personally, my church always conveys to be like Jesus. It's my way of bringing unconditional love to those who need it most." The farm offers to travel but they also have on the farm visits too.
Hear about the touching story Shannon shares about the early days of the organization: