HUACHUCA CITY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Peggy's Peacock Palace, in Huachuca City, was started by Peggy Williams to share her passion of birds and animals with the community.
She has over 300 animals on the property, including peacocks, emus, ostrich, a kangeroo and more.
"It's fun to have and it's fun to share,” Williams said.
She purchased her first peacock in 2015, and her collection has grown since then.
"I love them. I really love them.” Williams said.
She now has 300 animals, many of which she rescued because people asked her to take them in because they couldn't take care of them anymore.
"These are all individual lives, and these individual lives depend on me,” Williams said.
A year and half ago she started offering tours and created a sanctuary, with the hope that having a nonprofit status would open up possible funding sources.
"I want this to be something that can support itself, so that it can continue and they can they can be cared for,” Williams said.
Now she’s struggling to stay open because her job cut her hours. Without the funds to stay on top of food costs, Williams says it adds up.
“To feed them with food that is properly formulated for them, the bill is 2500 to $3,000 a month,” she says.
For the most part, Williams takes care of the property and animals by herself. She says she has a manager, but with dwindling funds, she's not sure how much longer she'll have the help.
Williams has been selling eggs for extra money, but says the fall is a tough time because the birds aren't laying. Earlier this summer, she announced she’s selling some of her birds in order to reduce costs and maintenance.
"I know this a dark spot coming, that's why I say it was a dark time coming," Williams said. "If i can just get through this dark time, you know, it'll get better, and that's, but that's kind of like always my outlook on life.”
She’s hopeful she’ll find good homes for some of the emus, but hasn’t found anyone willing to pay for them.
"They think it's something for nothing, and it's not,” Williams said. “They think that I'm just going to give the emus away, I can't do that. They have value, and I need feed. If I just give them away, it reduces the feed bill, but it's not helping to bring more feed in.”
For more information or to schedule a tour, call 520-678-5371.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
