Unique furry friend in Batesville gets prosthetic

BATESVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) - A Northeast Arkansas Alpaca is back on its feet after getting a prosthetic.

Many know of Blowing Oaks Ranch run by the Barnett family, it’s become a destination in Arkansas to see alpacas.

One of their alpacas, Cinco, was born in May, and he was healthy for the first six weeks of his life.

“Somehow, he broke his leg and just continued to run on it,” said Caren Barnett, Cinco’s owner. “He damaged it so badly we couldn’t save it.”

Content partner KARK said the Barnetts reached out to a local prosthetic company that had previously only made gear for horses and traditional livestock.

“He didn’t even know what an alpaca was,” Caren Barnett said. “When I asked him, he kind of looked like, ‘What?’”

They got Cinco his prosthetic and it can even be adjusted as Cinco gets older and taller.

“The pylon itself is actually adjustable,” Caren Barnett said. “We just take an Allen wrench and loosen a clamp around that and pull this pipe out as he grows.”

John Barnett said he was amazed by Cinco’s will to not give up.

“It just amazes me the will from the alpacas,” said John Barnett. “I’ve had other livestock that more or less they’d just give up and lay down.”

Congratulations Cinco!