DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — If you were at the Sonic Drive-In or Big R store in Elizabeth, Colo. this week, you may have seen some odd sights.
Camels were meandering about but have no fear. You weren’t hallucinating, nor did you get teleported to another time or place. Sabrina Maiden was simply training her camels.
The owner of Majestic Moon Ranch in Franktown took her two camels out on a training walk.
Jiba, a Bactrian camel, and Rune, a Dromedary camel, are both 2-years-old. They're teenage boys, by camel standards, and as most mothers of teenage boys know, that means they need some help realizing their potential.
“One of the things we want to do is have working camels,” Maiden said. “That means they could give rides, go to parades, and do photography or commercial advertising."
Maiden said camels have been domesticated for thousands of years. They’re social beings at heart. Living in rural Douglas County makes socializing tough at times - thus the trips to Elizabeth.
“The goal at Sonic was to have some desensitization to people,” Maiden said. “They actually enjoyed it that day. They had a good time. It’s like an event.”
It’ll be about a year until Rune and Jiba are ready to work in public, but Maiden is happy to help them on their way.
“They’re not what people think,” she said. “They’re kind and loving. Out of all the animals on the farm, I’d say they’re the most connected and loving animal we have.”
