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Goat kids (baby goats) are adorable and often purchased by well meaning people who have no idea about the bad side of goat
ownership. We happen to think that two goats make a great addition to some well educated families. When managed correctly
and when their social needs are met they are happy and fun and a joy to own. If you are interested in adding a goat to your
family please take the time to contact us or any other rescue that is willing to tell you all about goat ownership and not
just all the good things.
Some things to remember if you would like to adopt or purchase a goat as a pet:
- Goats, as many other species, are very social and herd oriented. This means that adopting a goat should include two goats
in order to meet the emotional needs of this speices. Many people feel that the goat will bond to them and they can be a
substitute family and in some rare occassions this is true. But more often than not, the human family looses interest and
the lone goat is left at the end of a chain or locked up in a stall...alone, in solitary confinement. This, in our opinion,
is not good management and is inhumane. If purchasing or adopting a single goat they should have a barn buddy of some sort.
The barn buddy can be a horse, cow, sheep or other herd animal that will allow the goat to join the barn family.
- Unneutered male goats reach sexual maturity quickly. Once mature they may become cranky and all the playful head butting
that they practiced with their human family as a baby will become serious and dangerous as a mature unneutered adult. Pet
male goats should never be left unneutered.
- Unneutered male goats have very dirty sexual habits which are the reason that most lose their pet homes within a year.
They smell like old urine because they urinate on their beards in order to make themselves more attractive to female goats.
They will also urinate on you thinking that it's a compliment to be marked by him as part of his harem. This unpleasant
sexual behavior is the reason that many male goats get the name STINKY. Pet male goats should always be neutered...we know
we are repeating ourselves but we cannot stress this enough.
- Goats are prime targets for dogs...even the sweet family pet can be motivated to chase and kill after watching a goat
bounce and play. Failure to protect them from predators could lead to a disaster.
- Goats are very hard to keep fenced and once out of their fenced area they can get into a LOT of trouble. See below.
- Goats love to sample all sorts of green vegetation which means they love to browse in gardens and landscaped yards...often
destroying valuable plants and trees. It also means they are more likely to be poisoned because their curiousity got the
better of them.
- Goats love to jump on things and explore. Failure to keep them in means they may choose to jump on cars, porches, people
and anything else that looks inviting.
Goats need regular veterinary care just as other family pets. They can get rabies and are constantly in jeopardy of getting
both internal and external parasites.
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Columbus
"Columbus came to us by way of the woods across the road from the farm. The dogs started barking hysterically and I went out
to check on them. It sounded like there was someone harrassing them.
As I looked at the dogs I then followed their stare and there, standing like a statue was this handsome shaggy goat that looked
more like a Yak than a goat.
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With some grain and a lot of patience I finally lured him into the barn and captivity. Many inquires later it was clear that
the shaggy handsome goat was homeless. It was rumored that he was purchased at the sale barn two weeks before but calls to
the suspected owner got nothing but denials. Perhaps the fact that the goat wandered the hills for those two weeks and did
some damage to barns he visited had something to do with his homelessness.
Columbus has been with us about two weeks (6-25-07) and it looks like he has joined the Gemini Farm family. He can't hang
out with the rest of the goats and sheep until he is neutered in January. In fact, he recently did escape from his pen and
had his way with many of the females. I am fervently hoping no pregnancies will result.
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For the time being, Columbus has his own goat barn and pasture, as well as a new girlfriend!!! A neighbor had a goat
that was purchased at the sale that was too small to breed to her Boer goats. She didn't want to take her back to the sale
so we gave her to Columbus. For now, her name is Pocahontas, or Pokey, for short. Not bad for a stray.
Columbus will be available for adoption after neutering.
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"Cruelty to dumb animals is one of the distinguishing vices of low and base minds. Wherever it is found, it is a certain mark
of ignorance and meanness; a mark which all the external advantages of wealth, splendour, and nobility, cannot obliterate.
It is consistent neither with learning nor true civility." William Jones
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Some new arrivals to the farm
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Sunshine, fresh straw, and a good friend to lie with. Life doesn't get much better than this.
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