Silver Menagerie
Liam Allen and friends
The rural ambiance and cast of characters that inhabit Silver Creek make it a unique community within the Park City area. Since it has fewer restrictions regarding livestock, many families that call Silver Creek home have put together unusual menageries of exotic creatures.
Liam’s Collection
Ever since Liam Allen was a small child, he has been fascinated with creatures of all types. “From the time I held my first pet, Ed the Frog, I knew I wanted to be a vet,” explains Allen. “My room was filled with fish tanks and frog cages until I got older and started having outdoor pets like rabbits.” His passion for animals was in place from the beginning, but it was not until his family moved to Park City that he had the opportunity to expand his own personal petting zoo. In an effort to help their son follow his dreams, Jackie and Jon Allen moved the family from New York to Silver Creek where they purchased a home with 12 acres and a barn.
The collection of creatures on the Allen property includes turkeys, pigmy goats, chickens, peacocks, emus, llamas and miniature horses.
The Allens’ efforts to nurture their son’s passions have paid off — this autumn Liam Allen will head out to Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, where he will major in veterinary technology with ambitions to eventually attend veterinary school.
Clyde’s Bungalow
In 1986, when Dr. Charm Wright first stomped her boots on the scenic soil of Silver Creek, she was smitten by the landscape and knew it was where she belonged. She set up a veterinary practice in the area and became an official member of the community back in 1989. As a longtime resident, she understands how special the community is. “We have everything from artists to professionals, star athletes to airline pilots, modulars to mansions, singles to ‘big love,’” says Wright. “Having exotic pets in Silver Creek is easy because out here, we're all mavericks and pretty much anything goes.”
In this isolated community, exotic creatures and eclectic residents fit together nicely. Wright’s camel, Clyde, is one of the more statuesque residents of Silver Creek, and perhaps the community’s unofficial mascot, symbolizing the neighborhood’s quirkiness. With his dark eyes and masses of swirling brown fur, Clyde can charm the shyest of guests as he reaches his furry lips out to snatch up his favorite treats, like hot dogs, carrots or a slice of bread.
When asked about her longtime animal friend, Wright has nothing but good to say. She explains that she once owned a camel packing business in Silver Creek, and Clyde was her best camel. When Wright sold the business, Clyde went along with it. Wright soon discovered, however, that Clyde was being kept in an environment that was not healthy for him, and Wright brought him back to her Silver Creek property. “He is now relaxing into his old home, calming down, learning how to feel safe again,” says Wright. “Clyde was the very foundation of my camel business, and he made so many things possible. That camel opened up opportunities for me that I would have never thought attainable.” Clyde is now 20 years old and enjoying his retirement. Wright plans to grow old with him.
Avila Family Farm
“I always aspired to be someone who lived on a farm with a white picket fence,” says Betsy Avila. “I look back and realize dreams do come true, because I have all I ever dreamed of — an incredible family living on a farm.”
Betsy and husband Guillermo Avila are enamored with the passion of their animal-loving daughter, Maggie. One of Maggie’s first words was “horses.” In uttering those magical syllables, their toddler had no idea how she would influence the future of the family, or how many creatures would come into their lives.
It was Maggie’s determination at age 5 to own her own horse that kept her putting in hours mucking stalls and doing a variety of odd jobs until she had saved enough money to make her keenest desire a reality. With Maggie’s passions in mind, the Avilas moved to Silver Creek five years ago and promptly purchased Maggie’s first horse, a thoroughbred named Furbie.
The relationship with the horse brightened their lives in many unexpected ways and the family enjoyed him so much that they began to bring more equines onto their property. Not surprisingly, the Avilas have steadily added more creatures to their entourage, with a hearty mix of horses, goats, dogs, cats and a token beta fish.
The family used to purchase goat milk from a Silver Creek neighbor, but before long, they had their own dairy goat and galloped whole-heartedly into the business of raising these hoofed creatures. “Since bringing in our first goats, we have enjoyed the wisdom of the older females, the playfulness of the kids and the nourishment from the milk,” says Avila. “I find myself peacefully watching over the herd at night, enjoying the serenity given to myself and my family since living here.”
Although the menagerie has enriched their lives, it is also the community of Silver Creek that gives each day an added touch of joy. Betsy Avila sums it up nicely, saying, “It is truly a blessing to be surrounded with the love of life the Silver Creek families have and share. We have been embraced and mentored and have found lifelong friendships within Silver Creek and look forward to many full moons ahead.”
C.J. Johnson is a freelance journalist, pet photographer, avid birder and a mother of four.
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