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Alpaca Therapy owners Nils and Linda Lantzke received heaps of offers from Canberrans to rehome their animals after announcing the closure of the charity. Yet the couple are adamant their animals aren’t for sale. Instead, the creatures will enjoy their retirement at a farm in Jeir. The much-loved charity has been forced to close down due to COVID-19 restrictions, health troubles and workforce issues. Nils and Linda Lantzke have run the service since 2003, helping trauma victims, palliative care and mental health patients across Canberra. “It was very hard getting volunteers … young volunteers were otherwise engaged so it was getting increasingly difficult,” Mr Lantzke said. “We couldn’t get into any of the usual venues like the hospice or the mental health units or nursing homes.” Mr Lantzke said alpacas were protective animals, and he was equally protective of his flock. “The three [little ones] Paprika, Willow, and Giraffe, I’ve had them for almost two years. I’ve been with them every day and I miss them … but at least I can come out here and visit,” he said. “If they went to somebody else, I wouldn’t be able to see them and I’d always be worried about them – no matter how good people are.” However, Mr Lantzke said he was more than happy to share advice to people considering getting into the world of animal therapy. “There’s a lot involved if you are going to have a charity – you’ve got paperwork, you have to be prepared for insurance,” he said. “People can have a good heart and attitude, but unless you’ve got a good head on your shoulders you’re going to run into problems. “Most people who’ve communicated with us are people already on farms who are planning on using their animals for therapy work. READ MORE: “I had a gentleman in Norway who said he was ‘inspired to do the work with his alpacas’. I had another lady from Michigan who was also inspired by our therapy work.” Mr Lantzke said it was an honour and a privilege to help people in the Canberra community. “We didn’t do it for the money, we didn’t do it for the glory, it was just to put smiles on people’s faces,” he said.
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Alpaca Therapy owners Nils and Linda Lantzke received heaps of offers from Canberrans to rehome their animals after announcing the closure of the charity.
Yet the couple are adamant their animals aren’t for sale. Instead, the creatures will enjoy their retirement at a farm in Jeir.
The much-loved charity has been forced to close down due to COVID-19 restrictions, health troubles and workforce issues.
Nils and Linda Lantzke have run the service since 2003, helping trauma victims, palliative care and mental health patients across Canberra.
“It was very hard getting volunteers … young volunteers were otherwise engaged so it was getting increasingly difficult,” Mr Lantzke said.
“We couldn’t get into any of the usual venues like the hospice or the mental health units or nursing homes.”
Mr Lantzke said alpacas were protective animals, and he was equally protective of his flock.
“The three [little ones] Paprika, Willow, and Giraffe, I’ve had them for almost two years. I’ve been with them every day and I miss them … but at least I can come out here and visit,” he said.
“If they went to somebody else, I wouldn’t be able to see them and I’d always be worried about them – no matter how good people are.”
However, Mr Lantzke said he was more than happy to share advice to people considering getting into the world of animal therapy.
“There’s a lot involved if you are going to have a charity – you’ve got paperwork, you have to be prepared for insurance,” he said.
“People can have a good heart and attitude, but unless you’ve got a good head on your shoulders you’re going to run into problems.
“Most people who’ve communicated with us are people already on farms who are planning on using their animals for therapy work.
Mr Lantzke said it was an honour and a privilege to help people in the Canberra community.
“We didn’t do it for the money, we didn’t do it for the glory, it was just to put smiles on people’s faces,” he said.
