Call it progress.
This week, two semi-trailer truckloads of hay arrived at the defunct large animal sanctuary at Niarada and 120 llamas left for a new home in Colorado.
Six parrots were adopted out, too.
That leaves upward of 450 llamas, maybe 100 horses, 2 bison, 2 camels and a smattering of emus, sheep, goats and geese.
"You name, we got it," said Kayrn Moltzen, founder of AniMeals, the Missoula-based animal food bank that has taken the lead in caring for hundreds of animals left at the 400-acre Montana Large Animal Sanctuary, located 15 miles north of Hot Springs.
The sanctuary's former owners, Brian and Kathryn Warrington, said they could no longer care for the animals after a funding source dried up.
The couple left the property earlier this week, Moltzen said.
A number of animal rescue organizations have stepped forward to help find new homes for the menagerie. In the meantime, Moltzen is struggling to bring in enough good quality hay to keep them all fed.
On Wednesday, one of the trucks delivering hay slipped off the road into a ditch filled with barbwire and sliced a tire wide open. That slowed the delivery of the second truckload.
"We face Herculean problems here almost every day," Moltzen said. "When we first arrived, there was freezing fog for a week. We couldn't see where everyone was located."
Then temperatures dropped and there was a huge snowstorm.
"We couldn't get a truck in or a truck out," she said. "The equipment we use for doing everything is in an extreme state of disrepair. We're working with minimal resources and questionable machinery."
Horse rescue organizations are working to move some of those animals from the site this week.
"The horses are in bad shape," she said. "I don't think any of those animals have had any veterinarian care for years. We've got a blind horse. We've got a horse with stifles. They are all needing to be moved out of here."
Until that happens, Moltzen said people interested in helping pay for additional hay can donate through the AniMeals website (www.animeals.com). Be sure to mark the donation MLASR.
"All of those donations are going into a separate bank account," she said.
Moltzen said the 50 tons of hay delivered this week will last about two weeks.
"When I run out of money, I'm going to run out of food," she said. "It's just a horrible, horrible situation."
The long-term situation for 17 of the sanctuary's llamas took a big step forward Thursday when the animals were delivered to the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
Jessie Rogers, AniMeals marketing director and new llama coordinator, said the llamas will stay at the fairgrounds long enough for them to be medically checked and prepared for eventual adoption.
"They are as happy as clams right now," Rogers said.
The public will have to wait for a while to take a look. There is no general public access allowed at the fairgrounds.
People interested in adopting one of the animals can find an application on the AniMeals website.
"As soon as they become available for public viewing, we'll let people know," she said. "Right now, we're just getting them ready for the next step of finding them forever homes."
This week, two semi-trailer truckloads of hay arrived at the defunct large animal sanctuary at Niarada and 120 llamas left for a new home in Colorado.
Six parrots were adopted out, too.
That leaves upward of 450 llamas, maybe 100 horses, 2 bison, 2 camels and a smattering of emus, sheep, goats and geese.
"You name, we got it," said Kayrn Moltzen, founder of AniMeals, the Missoula-based animal food bank that has taken the lead in caring for hundreds of animals left at the 400-acre Montana Large Animal Sanctuary, located 15 miles north of Hot Springs.
The sanctuary's former owners, Brian and Kathryn Warrington, said they could no longer care for the animals after a funding source dried up.
The couple left the property earlier this week, Moltzen said.
A number of animal rescue organizations have stepped forward to help find new homes for the menagerie. In the meantime, Moltzen is struggling to bring in enough good quality hay to keep them all fed.
On Wednesday, one of the trucks delivering hay slipped off the road into a ditch filled with barbwire and sliced a tire wide open. That slowed the delivery of the second truckload.
"We face Herculean problems here almost every day," Moltzen said. "When we first arrived, there was freezing fog for a week. We couldn't see where everyone was located."
Then temperatures dropped and there was a huge snowstorm.
"We couldn't get a truck in or a truck out," she said. "The equipment we use for doing everything is in an extreme state of disrepair. We're working with minimal resources and questionable machinery."
Horse rescue organizations are working to move some of those animals from the site this week.
"The horses are in bad shape," she said. "I don't think any of those animals have had any veterinarian care for years. We've got a blind horse. We've got a horse with stifles. They are all needing to be moved out of here."
Until that happens, Moltzen said people interested in helping pay for additional hay can donate through the AniMeals website (www.animeals.com). Be sure to mark the donation MLASR.
"All of those donations are going into a separate bank account," she said.
Moltzen said the 50 tons of hay delivered this week will last about two weeks.
"When I run out of money, I'm going to run out of food," she said. "It's just a horrible, horrible situation."
The long-term situation for 17 of the sanctuary's llamas took a big step forward Thursday when the animals were delivered to the Missoula County Fairgrounds.
Jessie Rogers, AniMeals marketing director and new llama coordinator, said the llamas will stay at the fairgrounds long enough for them to be medically checked and prepared for eventual adoption.
"They are as happy as clams right now," Rogers said.
The public will have to wait for a while to take a look. There is no general public access allowed at the fairgrounds.
People interested in adopting one of the animals can find an application on the AniMeals website.
"As soon as they become available for public viewing, we'll let people know," she said. "Right now, we're just getting them ready for the next step of finding them forever homes."
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