By Gail Parson, special to the Herald

It started with a handful of birds, then a few mammals. Now Hope Ranch in Guyton is home to more than 175 animals and hundreds of birds from around the world. The ranch is open for tours by appointment. The tours take between 90 minutes and two hours and fully immerse the guests in the lives of the animals and the workings of the ranch.

Three years ago, Shannon and Gilvan Valim started working on the paperwork to allow them to expand from a private aviary and ranch to caring for and rescuing an assortment of species from South America, India, and Africa. Some of their animals purchased and others were donated to them. The were granted that license in June 2023.

The ranch brings full circle a dream and passion Gilvan had as a boy growing up in Brazil. Shannon, a real estate agent, knew as soon as she saw the property listed that it was the perfect location for him to turn the dream into reality. Little did she know at the time how her life was about to change.

A builder by trade, Gilvan got to work adding onto the house, building enclosures and barns, and fencing in the sprawling property.

“This dream started … with the chicken, the peacock, a horse, a lynx,” Gilvan said. “After the lynx came a camel and zebra. Every time (Shannon) came over she was surprised.”

 Shannon agreed.

“I came over one day and there was a camel in the backyard,” she said. “I was like, ‘What are you doing?!’”

The first mammal on the property was also Shannon and Gilvan’s introduction to Georgia state laws concerning animals. Someone had brought them a fawn whose mother was nowhere to be found. They kept it, cared for it, and even tied a red bandanna around its neck to keep it safe during hunting season. Then Georgia Wildlife and Game got wind of it and they were ticketed — the judge threw the case out of court.

Georgia Wildlife and Game intervention number two came about when a couple of their patas monkeys escaped.

“I was bawling,” Shannon said. “But I’ll tell you what, our sheriff, he is the utmost respectful man. He stood out there on the street and prayed with us.”

It was a long 12 days of searching for the two elusive monkeys, but it did give them a chance to meet their neighbors.

“We were going house to house handing out our business cards and asking if anyone had seen a monkey,” she said.

One neighbor spotted them eating cat food in the back of their boat. Then the monkeys found another neighbor’s corn patch — that’s where their days of freedom came to an end.

The Valims did end up with a hefty fine from GWG but Shannon said, in the long run, it turned out okay.

“They came out; they evaluated the facility; they knew where our hearts were,” she said. “They knew what we were doing was in the right direction. We want to be an asset to Georgia Game and Wildlife. We got to keep the animals. We paid our fines. We paid our dues, and we know there are no second chances.”

With a USDA-mandated limit of 200 mammals per three-year license, they won’t be able to add too many more, but if Gilvan had the opportunity, he would bring home a giraffe.

Although they don’t make money off the ranch, they said they are living the dream; but it’s not just the animals they love. It’s about educating people and sharing their passion with others.

“Every time I see a bunch of kids really happy, that’s what makes me happy,” Gilvan said.

That is why they hope to someday be able to be open on a regular basis rather than just by appointment. Before they can do that, they need to have the handicapped-accessible restrooms, and a few more inspections. When they do eventually start opening to the general public, Shannon said they will start slow and just on the weekends.

For more information about Hope Ranch, directions, and to book a tour, check out its Facebook page or call (912) 410-7476.