It's goats gone wild in Boston this past week. Fifteen goats decided to take the night off from their brush-cleaning job to have a night out on the town. The goats were tasked with clearing poison ivy from a grove in one resident's yard but ended up in a nearby suburban town. What caused these goats to break free? While it is fun to joke about their night out in town, the reason for their leaving is not humorous.
15 Goats Break Free After Dog Attacks
Screenshot from Lynnfield Police Dept Facebook
The NY Post shares that the 15 goats were diligently at work when an "unattended" dog chased after them. The goats scattered out of their electric enclosure and ran to the nearby town. The company that owns the goats, Goats to Go, described how they knew the goats were chased. They describe how goats are herd animals and will always choose to stay together. They claimed, "We know they were chased because they were in three different groups, not all together."
After neighbors spotted the spooked goats, they called local law enforcement. The Lynnfield Police Department came to the rescue, helping lead some goats back to safety. The first group found was a group of five gots that onlookers claimed were "roaming" the streets.
The Lynnfield Police Department shared this humorous post on Facebook on July 31.
Part of the caption read, "Ofc. Pisano was able to establish himself as the alpha and lead the goats to safety." That happy little group of goats seemed relieved to have someone to lead them back home. However, the rescues didn't stop there. Eight more of the group were found early Wednesday morning by more police members and helpful neighbors.
With a total of 15 goats, that still left two goats out on the town. The final two goats -Happy and Finny - were found later Wednesday night. Luck was on the police department and Goats To Go's side. They shared the incredible rescue of the last two goats in another Facebook post. The post read:
"Amazingly, just as we were losing hope of catching the last goat before dark, a neighbor drove into their driveway and her garage at the exact moment our goat, "Finny", rounded from the backyard to the front. The garage door closed at the perfect time, capturing him inside. The homeowners were unaware the goat called her in, but our handler saw this incredible moment as he rounded the corner as he was he was pursuing the goat. We were in disbelief after over three hours of trying to catch him and his buddy "Happy"."
The post goes on to say that "the rescue was challenging, as some goats were stressed and confused." However, they are all "beyond happy that they are all safely home and resting."
What Happens Now?
Screenshot from Goats to Go Facebook
15 goats break free is no longer the headline on the news. All the goats are safe and sound back in their enclosure. Goats to Go Farm will go to the homes where the goats caused any messes and assist with cleanup. While the organization may claim this as a project that has gone wrong, all the goats are safe and sound.
Furthermore, there are no plans to remove the goats from the area. Goats are an inexpensive and healthy way to eliminate unwanted plants and vegetation. So, for this homeowner, having these 15 goats is the perfect, environment-friendly remedy to rid himself of poison ivy.
