Bailey is a timid young pygmy goat who recently made her way to our Southern California Shelter. Just 24 hours earlier, she’d been living at a goat breeder’s facility, in a small enclosure with approximately 20 other goats (likely including her mom). Bailey was then purchased by a well-intentioned couple
who wanted to keep her as a companion animal. They only purchased one goat because their on-site landlords had a single female pygmy goat that the couple felt was lonely; they intended for Bailey to be that goat’s companion.
The property, however, was unfortunately not well-suited for goats. Trash and discarded household items were strewn about but more disconcerting was the fact that the landlord’s lone goat roamed the property with a horse and several large-breed dogs. Dogs and goats, particularly diminutive pygmy goats, should not be housed together.
Goats are prey animals and dogs are predators. The two do not mix well, and however tame and loving a dog may be normally, there is no way to control or predict his or her behavior when left alone with a goat.
These dogs’ behavior was predictable. The same day Bailey was purchased, the dogs cornered and killed the landlord’s cat. Despite the dogs’ attack, Bailey was left alone the next morning to roam the property along with them. This little goat is not much bigger than a cat, so it’s hardly surprising that she was quickly
targeted by the pack of dogs. Within a short time, her guardian found her cowering in a corner, pinned against the fence by the dogs. The guardian intervened in the nick of time — the dogs were set to attack Bailey imminently.
Bailey cowering in the bird aviary at the property.
Since there was no separate space on the property specifically designated for the goats, Bailey’s guardian had to get creative in order to protect her. A group of birds who occupied one of the stalls in a barn on the property were temporarily moved into another stall, and both goats were moved into the barn away from the dogs. This only provided a temporary solution, though, as the landlords were anxious to move the birds back. Bailey’s guardian knew she could return the goat to the breeder, but didn’t want her to live in a small pen, crammed in with other goats heading to an uncertain fate.
When Bailey’s guardian called us, we were happy to provide Bailey permanent safe harbor. We offered
to take the landlords’ goat also, but they steadfastly refused, insisting that she wasn’t in danger from the dogs. We hope they will mull over our offer and accept it sometime in the near future.
Bailey in transit to Farm Sanctuary in the back of the SUV, with the barrier up to ensure that she was secured safely. (The heart had coincidentally been drawn on the window earlier in the day.)
Unbeknownst to us at the time, Bailey was in need of more than a safer living environment — she also needed immediate medical attention. Her guardian suspected that Bailey had bloated in the morning. Instead of consulting a veterinarian, the guardian attempted to treat the issue herself with baking soda and Pepto Bismol. By the time we took custody of Bailey, 12 hours later, she had still not been seen by a veterinarian. Knowing her medical history, we rushed her to our vet. Radiographs revealed that Bailey was not bloated at all and likely had not been earlier that day; the Pepto Bismol had stopped her up, so her rumen was filled with food that was not passing. Bailey received pain medication for her discomfort and was monitored closely by staff overnight to ensure that her rumen was working. Thankfully, it was, and by morning she was popping out stools regularly and with ease.
It was at the vet’s office that Bailey received her name; until that point, she didn’t have one. She is named after longtime and cherished friend and supporter of Farm Sanctuary Melodi Brooke Donahue’s beloved companion golden retriever, who passed away in December 2014.
Bailey at the vet’s office.
Bailey is currently happily and healthily residing at the Southern California Shelter, though she remains timid and shy toward us. Given that she has suffered multiple traumas — being separated from her mother, nearly attacked by dogs, being in digestive distress, and moving to yet another new environment, all in the span of less than a week — we understand and respect her reticence and know that she will soon come to
trust us and understand that she is safe.
In the near future, Bailey will make her way to a private adopter in Oregon, where she will enjoy green pastures along with her other goat herdmates. Her adopter has been thoroughly vetted and recently adopted Azul, another young female pygmy goat, from our Northern California Shelter. We suspect that Bailey and Azul will become fast friends.
Little Bailey gets a lift by standing on her dish.
When Azul was adopted, Farm Sanctuary staff transported her to her adoptive home — a critical
component of our adoption process. Since we have adopters throughout the country, it is not practical for us to conduct home visits prior to approving someone as a member of our Farm Animal Adoption Network (FAAN). Instead, during the application process, we speak with prospective FAAN members extensively, and they provide photographs of all aspects of their property, as well as personal, professional, and veterinary references. We also require that applicants be vegan or vegetarian in order to be considered for FAAN membership. Despite our thorough pre-screening process, we always visit the properties where are adopted animals will live out their lives. This allows us to ensure with 100% confidence that our animals will live out their lives in safe, wonderful homes. Anything less would be a disservice to the animals in our care, to whom we have made a promise that they will never again experience neglect or cruelty.
Our thorough screening and adoption process saved one of our goats from potentially being victimized by the very dogs who cornered Bailey. Several months before we took Bailey in, her guardian applied to become a FAAN member, hoping to eventually adopt a goat. but the application was not approved. First and foremost, all of our adopters must own their own property. Though not foolproof, this offers some insurance that a potential adopter will not in the future be forced to move and look for another property for themselves and their companion farm animals. Property ownership provides more stability for both the adopted animals and their adopters. Secondly, Bailey’s guardian sent photos of the animals’ enclosure space, and we saw that the fencing was not adequate to safely house animals. Since Bailey’s guardian did not own the property, the application process did not progress further; if it had, we would have learned of the other issues with the living environment (which also would have prevented us from approving the application). But we sleep much easier at night knowing that even if somehow, unthinkably, Bailey’s guardian had slipped through our pre-screening process, she would never have been able to complete the adoption of an animal from us because we would have transported any potential adoptee to the home and not left him or her there after we saw the true conditions of the property.
Providing a proper home for any animal requires much more than good intentions. We work tirelessly
every day to ensure that the animals in our care, and for whom we undertake responsibility, live out their lives at the best possible homes, where they will never be in harm’s way.
Please share Bailey’s story to help us spread the word that not every goat-loving human is actually equipped to provide proper care for goats. (Learn more about goat care here.) While Bailey’s story has a happy ending, not every goat in her position is as fortunate. However, goats make incredible companions for those who have a goat-friendly, safe living environment and the time, resources, and knowledge to properly care for them. If you are interested in providing a home for rescued goats or other farm animals in need, are prepared to provide loving lifelong care, and believe that you meet the requirements to join our Farm Animal Adoption Network, please consider learning more and filling out an application here.
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