Look who’s here! Moment two alpacas pay a surprise visit to care home (and they even ride the lift)
This is the moment residents at a care home in Wales received a surprise visit from two friendly alpacas.
The woolly well-wishers arrived at The Oaks Care Home in Newtown, Powys, in time for afternoon tea today.
Footage of the unusual encounter shows the two alpacas being ushered out of the lift, before being led into the lounge, where they were lavished with affection by residents.
Two alpacas, named Alex and Bethany, popped in to a care home in Wales today to join residents for afternoon tea. Pictured: Resident Merrill Simcox enjoys a spot of 'pet therapy'
Sarah Tickle (left) and Isabelle Titley (right) lead the Andean camelids out of the lift to top-floor residents, who were not told they would be joined by alpacas
Resident Sylvia Hughes receives a bedside visit from a couple of woolly well-wishers
The alpacas, named Alex and Bethany, were brought into the home to offer residents 'pet therapy' - and in exchange the fluffy Andean animals enjoyed some strokes and pats from their grey-haired audience.
They even took the lift up to visit residents in their own rooms.
Activities coordinator Izzy Titley said: 'I'm leaving The Oaks in a few weeks to travel round the world and I wanted to pull some final tricks out of my hat to surprise the residents.
'I told them we were just having our usual Friday afternoon bingo!'
Daniel Hart, 42, registered manager at the care home, said the visit was inspired by several residents' wish to visit a zoo.
Mr Hart said: 'We thought it would be more fun to bring the animals to them.
'The alpacas were a big hit and it was wonderful to see the look on everyone's faces when they arrived.'
Residents of Oaks Care Home in Newtown, Powys, pat the two Andean animals
Sarah Tickle (left), from Admirals View Alpacas, and the care home's activity manager Isabelle Titley (right) introduce the animals to another resident
Daniel Hart, 42, registered manager at the care home, said several residents had suggested a zoo visit, adding: 'We thought it would be more fun to bring the animals to them'
Alpacas Alex and Bethany are led out of the lift. Ms Tickle said: 'They’re comfortable in the lift so even residents on different floors didn’t miss out on their visit'
Ms Tickle said: 'Alpacas are very friendly animals, and they loved their visit'The Huacaya alpacas are part of a therapeutic team of seven from Admirals View Alpacas in Shropshire, which is run by Sarah Tickle.
Ms Tickle said: 'Alpacas are very friendly animals, and they loved their visit to The Oaks Care Home.
'They’re comfortable in the lift so even residents on different floors didn’t miss out on their visit.'
The Oaks Care Home, which offers residential and nursing care as well as dementia care, is part of the Sandstone Care Group.
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