Llama Drama: It's been 10 years since a pair of Arizona animals captured the world's attention

PHOENIX - As the popular saying goes, time flies, and Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 marks the 10-year anniversary of an event many now call "Llama Drama."

The whole incident, which was livestreamed by FOX 10 and other news organizations, quickly captured the attention of many across the country, and it even received some news coverage elsewhere in the world.

Here's a walk down memory lane.

Incident happened during assisted living facility visit

The backstory:

The incident happened in Sun City. According to the Associated Press, the two llamas involved were part of a trio that was making a therapy visit to residents at an assisted living facility.

The facility's executive director at the time, Jill Parsons, said that it was the first time they had hosted the llamas.

For more than an hour, residents petted the animals and walked them up and down the halls, Parsons said. Sometime after 11:00 a.m., the llamas' handlers took them outside for a bathroom break. That's when one got startled and took off, with the second llama in pursuit.

Parson said some residents tried to help corral the animals. Even the facility's chef made an effort by waving some lettuce.

"He Googled 'What do llamas like to eat' and it brought up romaine lettuce," Parsons said.

The llamas got around the corner of the building and broke into a run down the street. That's when someone called 911, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

The animals galloped along the sidewalk, through manicured yards and along street medians. They thwarted numerous attempts by sheriff's deputies and bystanders to round them up before they finally were roped into custody.

Dig deeper:

The black llama, named Laney, was captured first. The white one, named Kahneeta, was nabbed after two men in the back of a moving pickup repeatedly threw out a lasso. It took three men to secure the rope.

In all, the entire ordeal lasted about an hour.

According to our report on the two llamas in 2020, Laney contracted Valley Fever in the years since llama drama, and died in August 2017. Kahneeta, at the time of that report, was still alive, and had given birth to a son.

Following Llama Drama, efforts to take llamas out for visits as therapy animals were scrapped. Still, Karen Freund says Llama Drama elevated the popularity of llamas.