# Devocalizing Goats!? - Need HELP - I'm in trouble!!!!



## Mzyla (Jun 20, 2011)

Dear fellow members,

As you may know, I have this one neighbor, that everything bothers him.
He called Inspector on me, that he hear maaaaaa-ing.
He doesn't even live that close..
See Map on my BYC page.

My two LaManchas goats sleep peacefully from early evening till about 7:AM   During that time, there is no maaaaa whatsoever.
They only maaaaa-ing during a day, when they calling me, wanting something.

That is not happening too often. The first maaaa I hear, Im running right to them, not allowing for any prolonged vocals.. Their  voice is not that loud, for God sake!
And people should be allowed for some natural voices during a day/working hours, I suppose? Just a little freedom to breath?

I called the Vet and left him a message, if there is anything surgical to make them quieter.
Waiting for him to call me back.
Other option is to start looking for home for them.

I love them so much, I have tears in my eyes right now.
Its gone be very hard to part with them. 

I did find some article here about devocalization.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6834783

What you guys know about such procedure?

Please give me some advice. I cannot tell you how upset I am and cannot stop crying..


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## carolinagirl (Jun 20, 2011)

someone here had pretty good sucess using a dog no-bark shock collar on their goat to silence it.


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## elevan (Jun 20, 2011)

If it were my neighbor, I'd be telling him to take a long walk off a very short pier.

I'm guessing that he's found some sort of loop hole in whatever zoning or ordinances that you have that he's using to try to make your life miserable.  I'd start finding things to call on him about...2 can play the game.

I hope you can find a way to resolve the matter without having to resort to surgically shutting up your goats - to me that would be cruel of the neighbor to expect you to do that!  What a jerk!


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jun 20, 2011)

Does the zoning allow for you to have goats?  If so, then the neighbor really has no recourse, whether they are loud or not.  If your zoning laws don't allow the goats then you're left with very few options.


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## carolinagirl (Jun 20, 2011)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> Does the zoning allow for you to have goats?  If so, then the neighbor really has no recourse, whether they are loud or not.  If your zoning laws don't allow the goats then you're left with very few options.


I respectfully disagree.  Zoning allows dogs, but people can still get in trouble if dogs bark and disturb neighbors.  It kind of depends on local authorities and how understanding they are.  Since the goats are not hollering at night, then probably nothing can/will be done, but just be aware that some locals do not permit animals to disturb the peace at any time of day. I do hope that's not the case here though.


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## Mzyla (Jun 20, 2011)

Last year I went to court and win the zonning.
Still, I do not want to start war with this neighbor.
You never know how vindictive he may be and what elso he may do to me...

All these past hours I was researching about "devocalization" and it is horrible! After learning what harm this could do to animal - I won't do it to my goats!

Read here, if you have time and/or interest:
http://www.hsvma.org/pdf/fact_sheets/devocalization-facts.pdf

Tomorrow I will go and talk to this neighbor and try to plead with him.
If this won't work I have to give them away.
It is very sad....I spent 3 months bottle feeding them, they are part of a family....They cuddle on my lap....I cannot even write no more - I don't see fonts through tears....


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## foxywench (Jun 20, 2011)

yes please do not "de bark" your goats, or any animal for that matter...its not a nice procedure and no vet worthy of using will do this procedure...

first try being nice to your neighbor, ask him what time he hears the goats and that youll see if theres some way of keeping them quiet during those times...(mabe he workd form home or something...)

if being nice doesnt work id personally start fighting back.

a bark collar like you can use on a dog might work, but its not like there calling just to be a nuisance...i could understand if their calling was 24/7, or if they were calling at all hours of the night and very early morning...

but in this case it doesnt sound like a true disturbance issue and the guys just being annoying on you.

sinc eyour within your rights on the zoning hes trying to get you in trouble for noise ordances so it might even be worth setting up some kind of video camera and recording this so called racket going on "all the time"...


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## ksalvagno (Jun 20, 2011)

We had friends that had that problem. They have an LGD to protect their alpacas and LGD's do bark a lot. They live in the country and can put any type of livestock on their property they want. But this was someone who moved from the city to the country. They ended up putting up recording cameras with sound. They also lock the dogs up in the barn at night. Luckily the neighbors are finally leaving them alone because they can legally have the LGD's and they did do something to stop the barking at night.


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## currycomb (Jun 20, 2011)

could you maybe lock the goats in an enclosed building, on the other side of your property, away from him. if that doesn't work, maybe install a radio to keep goats quietier. then if he still persists, turn volume up really loud on radio, right on your property line. of course, it must be done during the right time table. here it is 8 am to 10 pm. run a loud lawnmower, wind chimes, anything legal to just muffle the sound. (of course, if he works midnights, i understand the noise being irritating to him, otherwise, he needs to pull up his big boy pants and just live with it!)


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## PJisaMom (Jun 20, 2011)

Your township needs to establish clearly what is the definition of annoying.  They then need to "investigate" the validity of his claims.  Don't debark your goats... and don't give them away.  They are goats... not incessantly barking dogs (though my township has been told I have one of those, too...). 

Your neighbor doesn't have the right to complain just to complain.  It has to be valid.  Use your rights to fight back.  

Hang in there.  You have options worth investigating.


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## elevan (Jun 20, 2011)

They are your goats - you fought to change the zoning to have the right to have them.

You think this guy will get vindictive and do something to harm your goats?  Trust me the animal cruelty laws out there are harsher than the noise ordinance laws.

Don't plead with him.  Simply tell him that you are within your right to have the goats.  And inform him that if any harm comes to your goats that you will make sure every letter of the law is followed in prosecuting him to the fullest.

Don't give up - fight back.


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## Ariel301 (Jun 20, 2011)

I have one goat that is a bit of a loudmouth. I have found though, that if she always has hay available 24-7 she stays quiet because she has something to do. You could try that, maybe. (If they are not already on constant access to food) 

But it sounds like your goats are not really noisy at all. As a LaMancha breeder, I've found most LaManchas to be very quiet compared to Nubians, I can't stand their loud, obnoxious noises. I think your neighbor just has some sort of a problem and is out to get you. I've known people to do that, when I was growing up our neighbor was always calling the city on us saying that our horse (in a clean corral on our property, downhill from his property) was contaminating the well water and they wanted animal control to come take it away.


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## freemotion (Jun 21, 2011)

Stop running to them every time they make a sound.  That will make them even noisier in the long run.  They are learning that you will jump to their whims if all they do is open their mouths.

They will get quieter (if you stop training them to baa!) as they get older, most likely.  Can you get him to come meet them?  I had a situation once where I was the one annoyed by a barking dog.  Then the dog got loose one day and came for a visit.  He was so sweet and friendly that after that his bark didn't annoy me.....I would think "oh, poor thing, he is lonely!"

I, too, urge you not to de-vocalize them and don't get rid of them.  Work with this.  Work with him and the laws.  Let him know they will get quieter and get him to come see them.  Who can't resist a goat?

Well, maybe he can, but it is worth a try.


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## Mossy Stone Farm (Jun 21, 2011)

Please don't give into this unreasonalbel neighbour. You have the Zonning laws for your,animals. This guy is being an outright bully. 

If all else fail try the collar they do work, my friend had to get on on her goat she bawled 24/7 Drove her owner over the wall.. now they are all one happy family and the collar only has to be on now once in a while for a reminder not to holler... Don't give up on them just yet!!!


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