Soft Landings by Elderwood Farms

Not every alpaca at Elderwood Farms will spend its entire life in our breeding program.

As animals age, breeding goals change, and new generations develop, there are times when a healthy alpaca is ready to retire from breeding but still has many good years ahead. Rather than waiting until we need to make room, we prefer to identify qualified farms in advance - places where these alpacas can transition into a safe, knowledgeable, permanent home.

We call those homes Soft Landings.

Retirement Is Part of Responsible Herd Management

A breeding program naturally changes over time. Some animals eventually retire because of age. Others may no longer fit the direction of the program, while still being perfectly healthy companions.

Moving an animal from our breeding herd does not make that animal less deserving of thoughtful care.

Our Soft Landings program is intended specifically for healthy, non-breeding alpacas that we believe could thrive in another established herd.

Alpacas May Vary

They may be young or old. They may be solid, spotted, grey, white, or somewhere in between. Some may have been part of our breeding program for years, while others may simply be better suited to a non-breeding life.

Soft Landings is not an availability list and there may be long periods when we have no animals needing placement. Instead, we’re building relationships with farms we would feel comfortable calling when the right animal and the right home align.

What We Look For

Because these alpacas have already spent their lives in a herd environment, maintaining that quality of life is important to us.

Preference will generally be given to homes with:

• An established alpaca herd with appropriate same-sex companionship
• Previous alpaca ownership and husbandry experience
• Safe fencing, shelter, and pasture appropriate for alpacas
• An established relationship with a veterinarian or access to camelid veterinary care
• Appropriate nutrition, parasite management, shearing, toenail, dental, and routine health-care practices
• A willingness to maintain the animal as a non-breeder
• A long-term plan for the animal rather than temporary placement

Individual animals may have additional needs or placement requirements. We will always try to be transparent about an animal’s history, personality, age, and any known considerations before placement.

The Right Alpacas for the Right Home

Soft Landings isn’t intended to be a source for someone looking for an inexpensive way to begin owning alpacas. Alpacas are herd animals, and we believe the best retirement placement is usually into an existing, experienced herd where the infrastructure and knowledge are already in place.

For someone who is new to alpacas and interested in starting a herd, we’d much rather help you build one intentionally through our alpaca sales and mentorship programs.

Soft Landings serves a different purpose. It’s about knowing that when one of our animals is ready for its next chapter, we already know people who may be able to give it a very good one at no cost.

Interested in Becoming a Soft Landing?

If you currently own alpacas and would like to be considered for future retirement placements, we’d love to learn more about your farm.

Being on our Soft Landings list does not guarantee placement, and animals will not necessarily be placed in the order inquiries are received. Our goal is always to match each individual alpaca with the environment we believe fits it best.

Tell Us About Your Farm