There is a goat in our n'hood that needs a lifestyle upgrade...help!

[Kelly G]

There is an 80+ year old man living in our neighborhood who has WAY more animals than he can care for...including 8 horses (mini ---> draft), cats, dogs (can't count how many), and one Nubian looking goat.

Living conditions include - but are not limited to -:
Broken down cars
Broken down R.V.s
Various and sundry washing machines, driers, and dishwashers
trailers
car dollys
scrap metal
random fencing
coils of stacked barbed wire (great for horses AND goats, I'm sure!)

The property does not have running water or electricity...his animals have rain water to drink (collected from the various roofs of the structures all over his property.

Three weeks ago, my husband drove by his property and all the horses and the goat had gotten off the property (the old man had forgotten to close the gate behind himself!)...so my husband and his father helped herd everyone back onto the mans property (he has no halters or lead ropes for them!)

I will try and take a picture/video on my drive by today - my description does not do justice to the poor living conditions for these animals. Animal has been called MANY times to his place...he now keeps hay in the "barn" just to show animal control that he has food for the when they check (they never seem to notice it's the same hay month after month, I guess).

He leaves for weeks at a time (I found out he travels to another property he has in Michigan) and no one cares for the animals. This last time I threw hay to the horses and goat over the fence - I felt so bad for them!

I have three horses of my own, plus five cats, 30 chickens, and a Corgi. I cannot take on any more horses (we are allowed one per acre)...so we just keep calling AC on him (as do many of the neighbors)...

I have been thinking of offering to buy this goat from him - for the goats sake and my husband and his father fell in love with her the day helped catch her and return her behind the fence. Evidently, she just leaned against their legs and soaked up every bit of affection that was offered her way.

I don't know how old she is....other than she is full grown. I don't know anything about goats - except that copper is important supplement and must be provided in an accessable form in order to be utilized by the goat. That's it.

If - IF I do this...what book would be best as a resource? What sort of broad spectrum wormer do you recommend for Florida? Do there feet need to be done every six weeks like my horses? Tell me what you think I need to know to get started...

I will do my homework and my research - but if you guys can get me started and point me in the right direction.

Here are some of my animals so you can see I do care & provide exceptional care to my animals...I'm not a collector & I'm not one to take on more than I can chew...so let me hear it all!

 

[ksalvagno]

I would talk to goat breeders in your area. Also talk to a vet. Wormers and worming protocols are different in different areas.

If this is just going to be a pet goat, probably just about any goat care book will be fine. Also just do searches on the internet. Fiasco Farm has a lot of good info.

I hope you get that goat out of there. Sounds like things are very bad. I would document the comings and goings of the man and also document that the hay that is there is old. Maybe something can be done then.

Good luck.

 

[Kelly G]

I would talk to goat breeders in your area. Also talk to a vet. Wormers and worming protocols are different in different areas.

If this is just going to be a pet goat, probably just about any goat care book will be fine. Also just do searches on the internet. Fiasco Farm has a lot of good info.

I hope you get that goat out of there. Sounds like things are very bad. I would document the comings and goings of the man and also document that the hay that is there is old. Maybe something can be done then.

Good luck.

Wow! I just spent the last two hours on Fiasco Farm's website - GREAT INFO!!!!

Thank you for this great resource!!! I couldn't find any goat breeders here in my area - we live in an area where ignorance abounds...one neighbor thought my Fjord was a zebra when we first moved in last year! But Fiasco's website is great!

 

[lupinfarm]

I am so coveting your BEAUTIFUL fjord...

 

[Kelly G]

I am so coveting your BEAUTIFUL fjord...

Thanks, Lupin!!!!! He is the pony of my dreams from my childhood! I always wanted one...but always had Morgans, Saddlebreds, & Arabs...he is my treat to myself - and he is everything I hoped he'd be!

Thank you!

 

[Kelly G]

Ok...update...with pictures.

The man is out of town (and has been gone for 3 weeks according to the neighbors across the street). Animal Control is VERY aware of this man...but he seems to do JUST enough to get by the law. They have talked to me twice (I called about the horses before the goat was ever there - she appeard sometime in the last year), and they say he is providing them with food (locked in a barn), water (from the roof of a barn), and shelter (the horse trailer is left open - GREAT!).

You tell me - here is the property as I drove by tonight...sorry, I drove as slow as I could...but it still goes by fast...take a look at all the CRAP in the yard. What a mess!




OK...and here is the goat. She is SOOOO sweet - she was plastered to the fence the whole time I was there. She is SO thin - it breaks your heart...I went back to the barn and got her some hay (I think I'll drop some off to her daily).

Here she is looking down on her from above;

Here is her whole body:

Here is the face begging me to take her home and feed her...it breaks my heart...

What do you guys think she is (not that it matters...I just hate ignorance!)? I will definitely be offering $50 to the old man....unless my husband beats me to it!

 

[ksalvagno]

Looks like a Nubian to me. Good luck getting her out of there.

I wonder if you and the neighbors can prove that the food is locked up and they don't have access to it that it could somehow help. I would hope just having it wouldn't be enough.

Of course, if the animals would just disappear......wonder if anyone would help the man find them.

 

[Kelly G]

Of course, if the animals would just disappear......wonder if anyone would help the man find them.

My thoughts EXACTLY!!!! It has actually crossed my mind! I'll offer him the $50 bucs to keep me out of the pokey!

 

[ksalvagno]

Always best to go the legal route first.

 

[Roll farms]

Oh that poor skinny goat, save her, PLEASE?

(I can't STAND to see a skinny critter....)