Arizona llama drama: Escape captures nation's interest

Two llamas on the loose in a West Valley retirement community were lassoed into Internet fame after escaping their owner on Thursday afternoon.

The dynamic duo -- one black and one white -- dodged cars, avoided lassos, and managed to launch their own Twitter account as they ran amok in the town northwest of Phoenix just before noon.

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office posse members tried to corral the llamas with their SUVs as they moved from a field into a neighborhood near 103rd and Grand Avenues, but were unable to stop them from bolting away. The runaway animals were eventually caught by three onlookers.

"If it weren't for (their help) we wouldn't have been able to catch them," said Lt. Brandon Jones, of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

In what is arguably the most famous llama-related journey since Disney's "The Emperor's New Groove," the pair running through Sun City made national news and became social-media darlings as they briefly avoided capture from a crowd of curious onlookers and several area residents on live television.

Jones said a Cop'er Star Llamas rancher brought the animals to an assisted living facility to visit an ex-llama rancher as a form of therapy. He said the animals were spooked when the trailer door that was transporting them to the site opened. Though there were three llamas, only two were rebellious enough to leave the confines of their trailer.

The escaped llamas launched a Buzzfeed quiz and were trending nationally on social media under the hashtag #llamas.

During the hour-long chase, the animals dodged cars as they crossed Thunderbird Road multiple times, disobeying pedestrian and vehicular laws and forcing those who were following them through neighborhoods to run in circles.

The white llama, often running ahead of its smaller dark-colored companion, seemed to like to sprint into oncoming traffic as posse members approached them with their arms outstretched.

The pair was separated briefly during the chase, but found each other again shortly before the black llama was lassoed in by two citizens near 103rd Avenue.

Alone, the ivory-hued llama fended for itself against its assailants for another 15 minutes before it was finally lassoed by an onlooker who was riding in the bed of a pick-up truck alongside the animal.

Initially defiant, it leaped and shook until eventually resigning itself to its fate.

No humans or animals were hurt during the escapade and the animals were turned back to their owner and brought home.

According to Melissa Cokely, of Cienega Creek Farm in Cochise County, llamas can be stubborn and personable. Cokely has worked with the 400-pound mammals for ten years at her family's ranch, where visitors can interact with alpacas, llamas and goats among other animals.

She said chasing llamas isn't a good idea as they will think of it as a game to avoid getting caught.

"They're a lot smarter than what people think," she said. "You'll wear yourself out before you catch up with them."



