About Us

Pembrokeshire Llama Sanctuary is a llama rehoming centre in West Wales, run by Matt Yorke and Alexandra Mykhailova. The sanctuary rehomes llamas from all over the UK where the current owners are no longer capable of providing adequate levels of care for their animal(s) due to health, finances, or any other reason; and provides ongoing care, food, appropriate habitat, behavioural training and veterinary aid where required.

To fund rehoming efforts, the sanctuary offers the public the opportunity to go on a walk with their very own llama, stay in a log cabin (known as the Llama Lodge) with llamas outside of the windows, or visit the sanctuary to meet the llamas. It is open all year round, but all activities must be booked in advance through the website www.llamas.wales

The sanctuary was founded in 2015 by Matt after he started to lose sight in one of his eyes and experienced constant head pains so severe that he became incapacitated and completely bedridden for a month. After undergoing medical tests, he was advised that he was ‘okay for now’, but that his symptoms were linked to an incurable condition that may manifest more prominently in future. After a partial recovery, Matt became inspired by his health issues to live a life of no regrets, and started to bring the first llamas to his land in Pembrokeshire, having previously spent time with llamas several years prior and finding the experience one of the most relaxing and calming things that he had ever done.

In 2021 Aleksandra joined and has since worked alongside Matt as co-director whilst pursuing a degree in biochemistry.

Over the past few years, the number of llamas that require rehoming has increased. This is believed to be due in part to the cost of living crisis. It has also been observed recently in a AHWBE report of a possible rise in the number of llamas ‘needing homes with owners not being able to care for their animals because of the owners advancing age’.

In 2023, Matt was involved in hundreds of llama rescues that would have otherwise been euthanised. Ideally, these llamas are rehoused to an experienced llama keeper, but due to the number of rehoming cases and the small number of experienced keepers in the UK, this has not always been possible, and therefore Matt has taken on responsibility for many of these llamas and has brought them to the Llama Sanctuary.

Pembrokeshire Llama Sanctuary is a non-profit organisation, and is currently in the process of becoming a registered charity, which it envisions will be complete early in 2025. It is hoped that this will bring further fund raising opportunities which can be invested into the sanctuary to aid with expansion efforts, to provide additional space and improved facilities for the ever growing rehoming demand and number of llamas that arrive at the sanctuary.

In 2024, Matt was awarded the Benevides Trophy, in recognition of all the work that he has done for the welfare of llamas in the UK. The Benevides Trophy is the most prestigious award in the UK llama industry, and each year the charity British Camelids awards the trophy to the person who has contributed the most to the benefit of the whole of the UK llama community.