Costumed Llamas Ease Airport Stress in Portland
The crowd at Portland International Airport is not necessarily in the security line waiting for TSA clearance. It could be the throng that assembles around the airport's therapy animals: llamas and alpacas wearing wacky costumes.
The pucker-faced camelids come from Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas and Alpacas, a farm in Ridgefield, Washington. The nonprofit specializes in animal-assisted therapy for senior communities, schools, medical facilities, and now, Portland International.
Mountain Peaks Therapy Llamas and Alpacas
“The whole purpose of the therapy is to help with anxiety and de-stress,” Mountain Peaks owner Lori Gregory tells USA Today this week. “We get quite a few people traveling for not fun reasons, they're going to visit their loved one for the last time, or they’re going to a funeral or you know, things that are hard. We always try to watch for those people to give them extra time with the animal and just express our love and care.”
The llamas debuted at the airport during the holiday season in 2023 and were so popular with stressed travellers (and flight attendants and airport workers) they’ve returned ever since, roughly twice a month. Their popularity goes beyond the airport, as the photogenic llamas and alpacas have become social media celebrities.
The animals are usually found near the airport entrance and main terminal with their handlers by their side. They’re easy to spot, as llamas and alpacas typically stand six feet tall and weigh up to 450 pounds. On top of that, they tend to wear colorful costumes – pirates or cowboys are among the repertoire.
Llamas make good therapy animals because they usually have a gentle, inquisitive demeanor. They also lack upper front teeth, so they are ideal for “carrot kisses” — taking a treat offered directly from a human’s lips, a popular interaction at the airport.
Because the airport gig is not on a regular schedule, Frommer’s ran a piece called “How to Know if Therapy Llamas Will Be at the Portland Airport.” The travel guide advises fans to watch the farm’s Instagram page @rojothellama. Since that article came out, Mountain Peaks added @pdxairportllamas to accommodate its expanding social media profile.
Photo credit: pdxairportllamas via Instagram
