The Early Years In 1946 Ed and Marge Bowen purchased their first pair of chinchillas for $3,200 (at that time a brand new Cadillac cost $800!) They both really enjoyed raising these little animals and a second pair of chinchillas followed soon thereafter. Ed and Marge purchased several small herds throuhout the years and it wasn't long before the chinchillas outgrew their basement. Son and daughter-in-law, Bud and Joan, were brought into the buisness and three chinchilla barns were built in 1959. Each barn measured 60' by 26'. By this time the ranch had grown to about 2,000 animals. Ed became president of Empress, the national organization for commercial chinchilla ranchers, and both he and his son, Bud, judged many chinchilla shows. Enter the Neubauers Gary and Margot Neubauer started raising chinchillas in 1968. They were very successful. In 1971 they won Grand Show and Reserve Grand Show against the toughest competition Southern California could muster. Ed Bowen suffered a stroke in 1972 and Gary Neubauer was brought in to manage Bowen's Chinchillas. Sadly, shortly thereafter Ed passed away. Bud Bowen became Empress president in 1976, an office which he retained for four years. Besides guiding the national breeders organization, he formed the Chinchilla Industry Council. The CIC is an international organization that is still instrumental in fighting many of the airline regulations as well as animal rights extremists. Bud turned over the reigns of the ranch operation over to Gary. Gary became a partner in the ranch and several years later, the sole owner of Bowen's Chinchilla Ranch. Bowen's Chinchilla Ranch Today In the year 2000, Gary and Margot moved the chinchillas to Anza, California. The Anza facility is much larger than the old ranch and can house many thousands of animals in a climate that is very well suited for chinchilla ranching. Anza is located in a desert mountain area that is above 4,000'. Because of the dry air, evaporative coolers can handle the summer heat. In the winter months, propane heaters insure that the breeders and weaners at kept at no less than 60 degrees. Underground earth-tubes always provide fresh air at moderate temperatures, even in the hottest summer month and the coldest winter month. Visitors to the ranch are welcome by appointment.