February 26, 2015, is ingrained in the popular conscience as the day that two llamas led authorities on a chase through the streets of Sun City, Arizona — and in turn made a nation fall in love.
And on April 15, 2016, it seemed like America had been blessed again. A local NBC affiliate reported that two llamas, including a baby llama, were on the run in Midlothian, Virginia.
And all hell broke loose.
🚨It’s happening again.🚨https://t.co/3bNU3Gdnra
People lost their goddamn minds.
Llama llama llama llama RT @NBC12: 2 llamas on the loose in Chesterfield https://t.co/ssrdVnGtTF #LllamaDrama
They demanded a live stream of the llamas running towards freedom.
IF THERE ARE LLAMAS ON THE LOOSE AND THERE'S NO LIVE STREAM, WHY AM I EVEN ALIVE?
live helicopter feed or it didn’t happen https://t.co/9pefyAlP1x
Llamas > Municipal Budget
bad allocation of livestreaming resources tbh https://t.co/IlFzZxMr8o
Calls went out for Chesterfield residents to live stream those llamas.
You live in Chesterfield. You have Periscope. Find the llamas. This is your moment. https://t.co/9m46SSLP6L
People were getting desperate.
Every minute that goes by is another minute that Im not seeing the llamas on the loose https://t.co/XonCJhWOc2
Some even blamed the llamas for bad timing.
I wish these llamas had been more considerate and escaped when a live stream was up and running. https://t.co/0q4pkbVkcJ
Others cheered them on.
I will never cheer for a Marvel or DC superhero the way I do for llamas racing for freedom.
It had been a week of animals escaping from the clutches of mankind.
First the octopus slipping through a pipe into the ocean, then the angry chimp on the electric pole, now more llamas https://t.co/HbjQJLshDR
People fondly remembered the Great Llama Escape of 2015.
Are llamas professional escape artists, and didn't this happen almost exactly a year ago?! #FreeTheLlamas https://t.co/YfqfaRkxhY
The world is trying to keep llamas down, but they ain't about that life https://t.co/2d5CxMAG8m
People were really rooting for them.
I am 1000% more into criminal llamas than Jared Leto's Joker
BUT IT WAS ALL A LIE.
"We are not actively searching for any llamas," Chesterfield police told BuzzFeed News.
Police said they received a call at 9:30 a.m. local time about a "possible sighting" of two llamas on the loose. When police responded, "we did not find anything," a spokeswoman said. "The call was closed."
People were devastated.
WHAT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 😭😭😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/QIyzBHCQNY
Thought Friday Twitter was about to get going but no. https://t.co/OYKeIpl3bL
SO CLOSE.
We were so close to establishing an annual tradition... https://t.co/E2RusBpVGP