So when I was researching other Alpaca experiences that were on offer, I stumbled across an experience I'd never heard of called Alpaca Therapy. I had no idea what this was so decided to do some research and focus on what this was and could I provide it for my own business.
Alpaca Therapy is provided by almost every company I researched bar Harefields Alpaca Coffee Barn. This primarily offers a different experience to the walks and treks as it is targeted to those who suffer from mental illness, ADHD or autism. The Alpaca Therapy aims to provide a calming experience and has the same effect as therapy dogs that are often provided by schools and businesses to calm students or workers. Alpaca Therapy can also be used for interaction at care homes, where many companies take the alpacas to the care homes to interact with the elderly and aim to boost morale and decrease loneliness.
Once I understood the concept of the alpaca therapy I looked into what the requirements were to have an animal ( or fluffy alpaca ) registered as a therapy animal. This is done by a programme where the animals temperament, obedience and behaviour are all assessed and must be approved by a stand alone organisation. There are also requirements that the animal must be free from illness or disease and have this certified by a vet.
After this research I decided to investigate what other animals could be used as therapy animals. This means I could offer a different service independent of the alpacas, so could have the treks still happening along side a different space and animal for the therapy sessions. Some companies do 6 week therapy courses, however the majority just have 2 hour exposure sessions, which is probably something I would consider for my business. Therapy animals can include, dogs, cats, rabbits and even horses.
Having Rabbits registered as therapy animals may be beneficial to me as this could also double as a petting farm in the day when the therapy sessions are not happening and may provide an extra experience that could entice more families to the farm.
I also decided to do a content analysis of the reviews of my competitors across a number of platforms. I thought this would give me a better insight into what customers prefer and what they viewed positively and negatively. I reviewed facebook, google and trip advisor reviews and found common trends of experiences. Customers loved the walks, hosts and unique aspects of their walks, but disliked poor cancellation policies, waiting a long time for food in the cafe and not receiving the full alpaca walking time they were promised. This allows me to develop my own business and shows what to prioritise!
Finally I looked at how I could make the experiences disability friendly, catering for those who have physical impairments and may be in a wheelchair. This is obviously a group that may not be able to take part in the long treks or walks depending on the venue, so it is important that my business can cater to all needs. An indoor course may be an option or a path that has no hills and a path that is not too rocky as this could benefit those who are in wheelchairs. This would also include the use of ramps and disabled access in the cafe.
Alpaca Therapy is provided by almost every company I researched bar Harefields Alpaca Coffee Barn. This primarily offers a different experience to the walks and treks as it is targeted to those who suffer from mental illness, ADHD or autism. The Alpaca Therapy aims to provide a calming experience and has the same effect as therapy dogs that are often provided by schools and businesses to calm students or workers. Alpaca Therapy can also be used for interaction at care homes, where many companies take the alpacas to the care homes to interact with the elderly and aim to boost morale and decrease loneliness.
Once I understood the concept of the alpaca therapy I looked into what the requirements were to have an animal ( or fluffy alpaca ) registered as a therapy animal. This is done by a programme where the animals temperament, obedience and behaviour are all assessed and must be approved by a stand alone organisation. There are also requirements that the animal must be free from illness or disease and have this certified by a vet.
After this research I decided to investigate what other animals could be used as therapy animals. This means I could offer a different service independent of the alpacas, so could have the treks still happening along side a different space and animal for the therapy sessions. Some companies do 6 week therapy courses, however the majority just have 2 hour exposure sessions, which is probably something I would consider for my business. Therapy animals can include, dogs, cats, rabbits and even horses.
Having Rabbits registered as therapy animals may be beneficial to me as this could also double as a petting farm in the day when the therapy sessions are not happening and may provide an extra experience that could entice more families to the farm.
I also decided to do a content analysis of the reviews of my competitors across a number of platforms. I thought this would give me a better insight into what customers prefer and what they viewed positively and negatively. I reviewed facebook, google and trip advisor reviews and found common trends of experiences. Customers loved the walks, hosts and unique aspects of their walks, but disliked poor cancellation policies, waiting a long time for food in the cafe and not receiving the full alpaca walking time they were promised. This allows me to develop my own business and shows what to prioritise!
Finally I looked at how I could make the experiences disability friendly, catering for those who have physical impairments and may be in a wheelchair. This is obviously a group that may not be able to take part in the long treks or walks depending on the venue, so it is important that my business can cater to all needs. An indoor course may be an option or a path that has no hills and a path that is not too rocky as this could benefit those who are in wheelchairs. This would also include the use of ramps and disabled access in the cafe.
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