Alpaca from farm surprises Starbucks baristas in drive-thru

RIVER FALLS, Wis. — Alpacas typically drink two to five gallons of water daily. But an occasional trip to Starbucks for a caramel frappuccino -- or some other specialty drink -- is always welcomed.

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The owner of a Wisconsin animal farm caused a stir after she decided to bring one of her alpacas to a Starbucks drive-thru, WCCO-TV reported.

Kerri Harting of Eagle Eye Farm decided to bring one of the farm’s alpacas, Oliver, for a treat, according to the television station.

Harting said that her 13-year-old daughter, Berkeley, wanted to “do something” fun with Oliver, who is one of 60 alpacas in the farm. She suggested going to Starbucks and filmed the event, posting it on Sept. 7. The video has gone viral on TikTok.

Harting held Oliver in her lap while ordering the animal a “pup cup,” much to the delight of the baristas at Starbucks, WCCO reported.

“It was so fun to see them react,” Harting told the television station. “One of them actually has a tattoo of an alpaca on her arm, and that was so fun.”

Oliver lost his mother at birth and was bottle-fed, so a Starbucks drink was a snap.

“So, he’s used to being around people, and he’s just fun, very expressive, obviously pretty small for his age,” Harting told WCCO. “But he loved being outside, loves going on adventures, loves having the wind in his hair.”

According to its website, Eagle Eye Farm specializes in “superior quality Huacaya alpacas.” The owners also have black nose sheep, “a very cute llama,” Kune Kune pigs and “an eclectic group of chickens.”

Seven of the alpacas are named for Taylor Swift songs, Harting said.

“We love alpacas. They’re just the most awesome creatures,” Harting told WCCO. “They’re the most sustainable animal. So, you shear them once a year … get their fleece, and we make all sorts of products from their fleece.”