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Uploaded: Friday, August 22, 2008, 1:48 PM
The llama days of summer
As the sunny season comes to an end, take a trip to see Oscar and Skittles
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by Katie Lyness
Pleasanton Weekly Staff
Photos
 
| As the end of summer approaches, lots of people make last-minute plans to go away on a quick vacation. But there are also outings people can do right in Pleasanton that can make them feel like they're far away without even leaving town. For example, a lot of people in Pleasanton don't realize they can visit and play with (on the public sidewalk side of the fence) the farm animals that live at the corner of Bernal Avenue and Independence Drive.
For about 50 years, Drea Colella's family has owned the property there, which she refers to as "The Ranch." Her grandparents were its first owners. On the ranch, which is quite a few acres, there are several horses, pigmy goats, Skittles the pony, some chickens, and a friendly llama named Oscar who loves to play. Most of the animals, and especially Oscar and Skittles, love human attention and come right up to the roadside fences to be played with by visitors. They like to be fed treats, too. Colella feeds the animals pellets and hay for their meals, but says visitors can feed them bread, carrots, lettuce, cookies, or old compost scraps (but no meat), as long as they stay on the sidewalk side of the fence (for safety reasons). The horses especially like carrots and will trot over to the fence if they see you holding one. It is Colella's uncle who paints the fences and makes sure they remain secure.
One word of caution is that if you play with or feed the animals you have to be very respectful and gentle with them because some of them will bite or spit if they are frightened. In fact, very young children should probably just admire the animals, but not actually touch them.
Colella thinks caring for the animals is easier than having a dog. She thinks of all the animals as family pets, even the exotic ones who don't live inside the house. When any of these animals die, the family feels as sad as someone else would feel if their dog or cat died. Colella and her family enjoy riding the horses, grooming them and making sure everyone is happy and healthy. They are also careful to make sure that animals placed together in the same arena (field) all get along with each other. There are actually several different arenas on the property, but this is something no one will discover unless they get out of their car and walk around on the Bernal Avenue and Independence Drive sidewalks.
Aside from the outdoor animals people see when they drive by, the family also has cats and dogs that live inside. These animals do not come up to the fence. That's okay though because it's really the llama, pony, horses and goats that are so fun to see because they are uncommon in our area.
Colella and her family are also looking into adopting a pot bellied pig in need of a home, through the California Pot Bellied Pig Association located in Pleasanton Hill (www.cppa4pigs.org). This charitable organization helps find new homes for unwanted or abandoned pot bellied pigs, and educates people about pot bellied pigs. The pig Colella may adopt is named City Girl and she is a three-and-a-half-month-old pot bellied pig that someone in San Francisco bought without first thinking about the fact that a small, city apartment might not make such a good home for a pig. If the adoption goes through, Colella will change the piglet's name, and that pig will eventually be another animal on the ranch who likes to come up to the sidewalk fences to socialize with people. That's one more great reason to visit.
Anyone looking for a fun, end-of-summer outing that barely even uses up any gas should take a drive over to the ranch, especially if you never knew you could get out of your car to play with the animals. Even better, if you eat at a restaurant downtown, walk over there afterwards with your non-meat leftovers; the ranch is just a few short blocks away and the animals would love to see you. Katie Lyness is a youth correspondent for the Pleasanton Weekly. She is a sixth grader at Pleasanton Middle School. Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Timothy, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2008 at 9:52 am Great story, Katie! I've always wondered about those animals as I've driven by and now I'm looking forward to handing out some carrots!
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Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on Aug 23, 2008 at 4:20 pm PLEASE DON'T FEED ANY ANIMAL HUMAN LEFTOVERS. MOST OF THE FOOD THAT HUMANS CONSUME IS NOT FIT FOR HEALTHY ANIMALS.
Drive by and keep on moving. Animals don't need people touching them, talking to them or feeding them toxic human food.
Katie, A WAY COOL STORY! HOORAY!!!
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Posted by Drea, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Aug 25, 2008 at 9:53 am Hi Everyone,
I am girl that is interviewed in this article, and I wanted to refute what was said in the pervious comment, about petting and feeding the animals. All of our animals love to be petted; it causes no harm to them, as long as it is done properly. Also, the llama and horses love carrots and lettuce; they are more than capable in digesting such foods. Yes, there are certain foods that are not good to give to animals but I believe anyone with a little common sense would know what not to feed an animal. We only ask that these acts are done from the street and that no one drives onto the property, as Katie has mentioned in the article.
Thanks again Katie and family for coming and meeting all the animals. The article turned out great.
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Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on Aug 25, 2008 at 10:07 am The article is informative and well written.
PLEASE don't feed or touch the animals. If you must view them, enjoy! Pat yourselves on the head and smile. They are well fed and the receive enough attention already...better yet, keep on truckin'...
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Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on Aug 30, 2008 at 9:22 am Why not invite Sarah Palin to come in and check out the animals....I saw her on TV and she likes to go hunting. I wonder what animals she most enjoys killing? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...bad girl, no donut!
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Posted by nan lyness, a resident of the Ruby Hill neighborhood, on Sep 2, 2008 at 1:19 pm PLEASE stop this nonsense. My daughter wrote the article and checks this web site every day to see who has commented on her story. She's a little girl and doesn't need to see these absurd communications you are having with one another and which have nothing to do with the article. I thank you in advance for your consideration and for your cooperation with my request.
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Posted by Animal lover, a resident of the Vineyard Avenue neighborhood, on Sep 2, 2008 at 1:54 pm Katie our family has had many conversation about the animals since reading your story. Thanks for the information and invitation to visit the animals, we always wondered if it would be okay. You and the Colella family are sharing a gift of the animals with the community by writing your story.
What a treat, thanks.
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Posted by Fellow Animal Lover, a resident of the Foxborough Estates neighborhood, on Sep 2, 2008 at 4:29 pm Katie,
Do you happen to know what happened to the other llamas that were onsite. We miss seeing them but do enjoy saying 'Hi' to Oscar and Skittles as we drive by. Thanks for the wonderful article.
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Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on Sep 2, 2008 at 5:46 pm As I've stated, the article is informative and well written.
Drive by, say 'hi" and pat yourself on the popo. I seriously doubt that the animals understand English. I think that animals are best left alone and not contaminated by humans and their nasty germs. Don't feed the animals, they are already well fed and don't need your dinner scraps.
Now, pat yourselves on the popo and shove off! Animals are best left alone to enjoy their lives without drive by people. As I recall, a blog is about Free Speech momma! Tee hee hee, tee hee hee...signed, Pity Pat's friend Cholo!
PLEASE educate your daughter about blogs and how they work. This blog is seldom about being nice. hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaa...
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Posted by Geez Louise, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Sep 2, 2008 at 7:24 pm Correction to Cholo's entry: This blog is usually about being nice, being civil, and offering productive comments. I'm very sorry that a young aspiring journalist with some good interviewing skills had to be subjected to trash talk and ridiculous comments by a select few, or a select one, on this blog.
I can't speak for everyone, but I think that we could wish for better.
Thank you to both the author of the article and to the interviewee.
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Posted by katie, a resident of the Ruby Hill neighborhood, on Sep 2, 2008 at 10:26 pm Hello Fellow Animal Lover, resident of the Foxborough Estates neighborhood. I do know the answer to your question because it came up during my interview. I'm so sorry to report that the other llamas died, both within a few weeks of each other. Drea and the whole Colella family were very, VERY sad. (I have to go to bed now!)
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Posted by Ron, a resident of Livermore, on Sep 3, 2008 at 4:07 pm Katie,
Thanks for a very informative article. You seem to be a very talented young lady, possibly with a future in journalism.
Please don't let the comments of one fool discourage you. He seems to think his comments are "cute". Unfortunate for us, if he's to be believed, he happens to be from our community. As you probably know, the world has many that take pride in making fools of themselves.
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Posted by George, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Sep 3, 2008 at 9:24 pm Why is the Pleasanton weekly deleting posts, there were about 8 more on this one yesterday CENSORSHIP??????????
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Posted by Cholo, a resident of the Carlton Oaks neighborhood, on Sep 7, 2008 at 10:16 pm Sush georgie.
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