Coronavirus: Farm offers goats, llamas to join video meetings

Looking to add a llama or goat to your next business or happy hour video meeting? Sweet Farms in California can help.

The nonprofit animal sanctuary started its Goat 2 Meeting program in March, charging anywhere from $65 to $750 to have any one of its farm animals join business meetings or happy hours.

"After the coronavirus happened and shelter in place went into effect, we had to completely rethink the way we were driving revenue and executing our mission," Nate Salpeter, Sweet Farm co-founder, told CNN. "Our board member, Jon Azoff, came up with the idea and said: 'You know, we're having so many company meetings and happy hours but they're all boring. What if we could get a goat or llama on the call?'"

It’s become a popular program in just a few weeks.

Sweet Farm animals have taken part in about 100 calls since starting the initiative and have another 500 requests, CNN reported. They are booked through June.

Animal cameos are $65 for about 20 minutes on a call of up to six people. An animal will appear on a 10-minute call with unlimited participants for $100. Proceeds support the farm’s mission of animal rescue and education about industrialized farming practices.

Available animals include a cow, goat, llama, pig, sheep or turkey.

The farm has more than 125 rescued animals.

The farm is also offering free virtual field trips to schools and nonprofits, Business Insider reported.

"I think we're all a little stressed with what's going on — many of us have been sitting inside," co-founder Anna Sweet told Business Insider. "We're just hoping to bring some smiles to people's faces while bringing them out to the farm at the same time."

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