Barack O'Llama Visits Nixon Birthplace and Museum

The slow-moving procession crossing the busy intersection next to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, Calif., was truly a traffic stopper. After all, how often is it that drivers and pedestrians get a chance to see Barack O'Llama and the Dalai Llama up close and personal entering the museum grounds?

Actually, it happens several times a week. See, this is the route that the folks behind ShangriLlama often take as they allow people to experience "llama walks."

It all started a couple of years ago when Paul and Sharon Brucato of Yorba Linda noticed their son Tommy's fascination with the camel cousins. After a few visits to the San Diego area where Tommy and their daughter, Alee, could walk and commune with the Peruvian beasts of burden, they decided to create their own hands-on llama tour so others could enjoy the animals as well.

Chris Epting for AOL News

Meet Barack O'Llama. This presidential pack animal, shown outside the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, Calif., is a big part of Paul and Sharon Brucato's ShangriLlama, which offers educational "llama walks."

So they purchased a few of the animals and started ShangriLlama.

"These are such peaceful, gentle animals; who doesn't love llamas?" said Paul Brucato. "When people book a visit with us, they spend several quality hours learning how to walk the llamas, feeding the llamas and just hanging out with them. They really seem to bring out the best in people."

The Brucatos have a stable of four llamas: Dalai Llama, Barack O'Llama, Pajama Llama and Bahama Llama. The family of four spends many of their weekends leading people along rustic trails and through fields and meadows with the llamas. Often, the trail takes them right across the parking lot of the Nixon Museum.

"People are amazed," Sharon Brucato told AOL News. "Kids love to come over to say hi and feed the llamas. And, of course, we know our Barack likes the idea of being near a presidential museum."

Barack O'Llama hasn't yet met his namesake, but the Brucatos say they would be eager to host the first family for a complimentary stroll.

The llama walks can be calming -- and even therapeutic, according to the couple.

"Last week we brought the llamas to a school where there were many autistic kids," said Paul. "The principal told us he'd never seen a reaction from the kids like the llamas got. The herd seemed to captivate them and make them react in ways not usually seen."

The same thing happens when the llamas are brought to visit elderly victims of Alzheimer's disease, according to Paul.

"They just come to life in special ways around the llamas."

The Brucatos donate a lot of time taking the animals to visit special-needs groups. On April 30, Bahama Llama will take part in the Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides 5K walk to aid a local family who have three children stricken with the disease.

"This is an important way for us to help a family in need," Paul said. "It's the magic of the llama."

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