Therapeutic Value of Llamas and Alpacas Assessed.
GUPTA: Welcome to Portland, Oregon, in the pacific northwest of the United States. The city is known for having a bit of a quirky personality. But even the people of Portland are surprised to see this. Your eyes do not deceive you. That is a llama and an alpaca walking through downtown.</s>LORI GREGORY, PRESIDENT, MOUNTAIN PEAKS THERAPY LLAMAS AND ALPACAS: Everybody needs a little bit of the happiness and joy in unexpected places.</s>GUPTA: Photos, hugs, a lot of laughter, that is what Rojo and Napoleon can do. That is what Lori Gregory and her daughter Shannon have been sharing with the Portland area for eight years now and counting.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, llamas. Hey, alpacas. Hi, Napoleon.</s>GREGORY: We never dreamed that we would be doing work with llamas and alpacas. We moved to Vancouver from Oregon 20 years ago and bought two and a half acres, and basically got tired of mowing the lawn of the acreage. And so we went to the fair to look for some animals to keep it eaten down, and just kind of were intrigued with the llamas.</s>GUPTA: Shannon and Lori went llama shopping at a farm. A llama caught their eye immediately. Rojo, Spanish for "red," would become their first llama.</s>GREGORY: Roho just stood out from all the other llamas that were there. All the other llamas were out playing with their buddies in the pasture, and Rojo was only four months at the time. And he was just following the owner around her yard while she was doing chores.</s>GUPTA: That is 13 years ago. Over that time, Lori says, while he certainly grew, Rojo now weighs more than 400 pounds, his personality never changed.</s>GREGORY: Very people friendly, very touchable, enjoys being around new environments and things like that. So we are just so thankful to have him to take around because everybody falls in love with him.</s>GUPTA: So when someone suggested they get him certified as a therapy animal, it was an easy decision.</s>GREGORY: It was a pretty extensive process to get him certified eight years ago. And we have done over 1,000 visits since then, added four other llamas and three alpacas, and we go out almost every day of the week now.</s>GUPTA: Lori and Shannon started a nonprofit called Mountain Peaks Therapy, Llamas and Alpacas. Today they are headed to visit a nursing home with Rojo the llama and Napoleon, the alpaca. The residents here at Emerson House suffer from severe dementia, but the moment this unique group steps off of the elevator, there are smiles all across the room.</s>SHANNON HENDRICKSON, VICE PRESIDENT, MOUNTAIN PEAKS THERAPY LLAMAS AND ALPACAS: It is really neat taking a giant 400-pound animal into everywhere. A lot of times you get a lot of shock at first. They don't really understand why a llama who is dressed up is in their home. And then you look at this intrigue. So it is a shock, and then they are like, I want to feel it, I want to feel how soft he is. He looks cool. And then when they put a carrot in their lips and he gives them a kiss, it is instant, pure joy.</s>GUPTA: These carrot kisses are popular. Llamas don't have any upper teeth, just bottom teeth, so they don't bite. HENDRICKSON It happens 100 times during every visit, and it is the same. It's just seeing people so giddy and just being the source of tha joy really fuels me and is exciting.</s>GUPTA: The Mayo Clinic says animal assisted therapy can reduce pain, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Smiling and laughter are also good for your health and longevity. The simple act of smiling has been shown to activate the happiness centers in your brain, impacting your mood. Even a forced smile will do it. But I can tell you, with Rojo and Napoleon around, no one is forcing a smile here. This is pure joy.</s>LINDSEY BRETZMAN, ENRICHMENT DIRECTOR, EMERSON HOUSE: All of the residents have dementia, so not all of them are able to communicate verbally. But once they see the animals, it becomes a whole new experience. So they touch the animal, and giving the llamas kisses. A lot of our residents lit up today. I had residents who don't speak English singing in the native tongue to the animals and touching the animals.</s>GREGORY: For me, it has been life changing. When we first got certified for therapy with Rojo, I thought this will be fun to share our special llama with these people and going to places like that. And then the first visit we did, Shannon was with me, and she had him on lead and was taking him into a rehab facility, we were there. And I was back on the backside with all the nurses and people in the facility, and as she would take him along the bedsides. I would hear them getting so excited and saying, wow, Harold hasn't spoken in a month, and I heard him say that he is cute, or look at how Helen is trying to sit up and she has not moved for -- and it is like every room we were going into, it is like seeing miracles happen.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So soft.</s>GUPTA: Rojo is becoming a bit of a celebrity around here. Shannon has even written a children's book about him. For this mother- daughter team, it is another way to share Rojo with those who need him, or just need a smile.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You made my day.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, good.</s>GREGORY: Once we started to take them out, it is like, I have to do this. I can't not do it, you know? So, yes, it is a purpose and a life calling. And so, I'll be doing it until I can't anymore, and then Shannon will bring him to visit me.</s>HENDRICKSON: She better.</s>GUPTA: Those smiles are infectious, don't you think? It is incredible the difference a visit can make from Rojo and Napoleon or from Casper the therapy dog. Animals seem to have this almost magical power about them. If you have a pet at home, give them an extra treat today. With all they are doing for your health, they have earned it. For "Vital Signs," I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta.