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A neck wrap can be used to decrease anxiety, for training, and for routine medical procedures. Veterinarians can even use a neck wrap for drawing blood from the jugular vein if the area for the vena puncture is left uncovered.

To effectively apply a neck wrap, an elastic wrap or a long stretchy ace bandage is wrapped around the neck beginning at the base of the neck, wrapped in a crisscross fashion, ending at a point just below the ears, and fastened. Begin at the base of the neck by rolling the two ends of the neck wrap toward each other and crossing as you go, meeting halfway. You will need to work in a small space and allow the animal to move as you put the wrap on. Ideally, enlist the help of a second person to help steady the animal as you work. Finish by attaching the wrap to itself. Buckles that avoid use of Velcro are recommended to secure the wrap, as the sound created by the latter can be frightening to animals. The number of wraps is less important than making sure that the snug wrap is felt the length of the neck. Following the procedure, the wrap is removed by unhooking it and unwinding it from the neck. Do be careful to keep the ends in your hands as you unwrap it so that it does not dangle around the legs and frighten the animal.

Keeping an animal in balance is key to helping them remain calm, and handlers often use the head as our point of connection to balance the animal. The length and flexibility of the neck allows the animal to move its body freely even when restrained by the head. It is theorized that a snug neck wrap creates a heightened physical connection between the head and the rest of the body, or it might act as a distraction to the animal. Sometimes, the neck wrap does not have any effect on the animal, but in the author's experience, working with many difficult animals, she has experienced amazing transformations using the neck wrap. To be most effective, the neck wrap should be put on before working with the animal. The neck wrap should be applied inside a confined area (Figures 2.17 and 2.18).

Figure 2.15 Demonstration of application of the handler helper to an alpaca to aid in controlling the animal. The tool makes it easy to balance the animal while offering some distance from the handler. You can also leave the handler helper on while the animal is in a pen making it easier to re‐catch the animal later.

Figure 2.16 Alpaca with the handler helper in place.

Figure 2.17 Application of a neck wrap to an alpaca to help keep the animal calm.