A llama is on the loose in a rural West Shore neighbourhood, and the owners of "Sparkle" are asking the public to keep their eyes peeled.
The female llama escaped through a fence Sunday at around 3:30 p.m. after something likely scared her at a property in the District of Highlands.
"Sparkle came with a friend, Angie, to be a mate for a llama who lost his mate last year, so he's been by himself," said owner Lavinia Stevens of Millstream Miniature Llamas. "We brought them up yesterday afternoon and they seemed quite happy, but I think something spooked Sparkle, and she went through the fence, across a neighbour's yard and onto Munn Road."
Stevens said Sparkle must have been severely frightened by something because she had to cross a stream on an old, rickety bridge to escape.
"Normally they would never leave their friend," she said.
While she should be able to survive on natural water sources and food in the wild, Sparkle's owners are desperate to get her back because she was just moved to the area and doesn't know its geography.
"She's one of our very favourite ones because her mom died when she as five years old, and she was adopted by one of our other llamas," said Stevens.
Sparkle was last seen heading up Munn Road. She is described as two years old and has brown wool with white spots.
Those who see her are asked not to give chase as it might spook her even more, and instead call Millstream Miniature Llamas at 250-478-9969.
FLED, a local Facebook group dedicated to finding lost or escaped animals, has also put out posters online to spread the word about Sparkle.
Sparkle was previously featured in a Sawatsky Sign-Off segment last year. Watch "Llama Love" here.
