Llamas make a visit to Barton Skilled Nursing Center

It's not every day llamas are on the visitor list at a hospital, but that is exactly what happened last Thursday at the Skilled Nursing Center at Barton Hospital in South Lake Tahoe.

The Novak family of South Lake Tahoe brought their five llamas to meet and mingle with the residents. Tonto, Pico, Krank, Packa and Jafer walked around, letting residents feed and pet them.

This is the second time the Novaks brought their kids and the llamas to Barton. Not only were they a hit with the residents, but the staff was able to squeeze in a few selfies.

They got involved with connecting the llamas to the residents through neighbor Lorna Lefler. She and her husband Gary bring their therapy dogs by the Skilled Nursing Center each week and Lorna thought what a great idea it'd be to have llamas do the same.

When not entertaining those who need some happiness, the five llamas accompany the Novaks on backpacking trips all summer in the Sierra. Each llama can carry about 70 pounds of gear.

Since they can't live in the Tahoe snow, the llamas winter at the family's Placerville property. There they keep sheep and the llamas are their guard animals as the local predators don't care for them.