I had to be the mean lady!

I'm still not sure from your posts that you made it clear your wether sale was only on the condition he have a companion. Just talking to the buyer and saying he needs a buddy isn't quite the same as pointing out you will let him go "if and only if" they provide a friend by the time he's ready to leave.
IF you did do that then you are not being a bad guy at all, but only fulfilling the oral contract and looking out for the welfare of the animal. If there is, however some wiggle room, and you didn't actually mandate a sale only on the terms of their getting another goat, then it's a bit fuzzy.
I went through this once myself, telling a buyer at least a few times a goat I had for sale needed another companion. I thought they understood, but I never did lay down the terms "only if."

No I never said "Only if you get him a companion would I let him go", I did say more than once starting with the first day they came to see him at 3 days old that he would need a companion or buddy.

I still have not said they couldn't take him but for them to see what they could work out as to getting him a friend of some sorts & to get back with me after they disscused it.

I'm not trying to be mean & know they will Love him alot, but I also think if he turns out to be a trouble maker because he is lonely they are more likely to be turned off of the whole goat thing. I think I have been up front with them from the beginning but I'm also trying to look out for the welfare of this little goat too.

All I said the other day when I talked to them last to see what they could do & let me know.

This is a young couple who both work everyday outside of the home & the kids will be in school all day so the goat will be alone alot of the time without some kind of friend.

Well I look at it from a different angle. He's a weather. He'd probably have a loving home if you just let them take him.
He's really worthless except for being a pet or being meat. He's lucky to have a good, if not perfect, home instead of being someone's dinner.
When you raise animals you sort of have to (or I did at least) develop this sort of attitude or you'll drive yourself crazy.

But he will get so lonely...

Actually- I would worry about th goat becoming a bother trying to get out and hollering all the time, too. It's those situations that give goats a bad reputation. Then people think its a bad goat not a bad situation for the goat. Then they tell others and the others say...I'm gonna get a horse, instead. Goats sound like to much work.
Just my one cent.

Oh, and, we eat all the boys except the ones for breeding, too. But still, I understand.

If you already have taken payment for the goat, it is theirs, and you really have no right to retain him. give the kid his goat!

Tailwagging, could you continue the story a little further than just your first summer with the new wether? You know the end with how he died in your arms as a very old man? The forever home and all...and I will appologize publically if it is in fact true. In 23 years of goats I know of one, wether story that is a good one, in fact she paid hundreds of dollars on him for the surgery for urinary calculi also, he turned into a maintence nitemare peeing on the back of his legs and all the cleaning to keep him from getting urine scald, but he did live a very good life, to a very old age (she was a vet)...but like I said it is the only forever home wether story I know. Vicki

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Vicki McGaugh
Nubian Soaps
North of Houston TX
www.etsy.com/shop/nubiansoaps

A 3 decade dairy goat farm homestead that is now a retail/wholesale soap company and construction business.

No money has exchanged hands, from what I can tell.

I agree, goats have a bad rep from people who don't go about raising them properly from the get-go. They get just one and it acts crazy. They don't look into diseases and start out with diseases. They don't look at demand in their area or start with culls. They don't know what feed to offer. They don't know what pasture or fencing to use. When people don't do the research first or follow experienced people's suggestions is when problems arise. Keeping goats alone can make them develop social issues, like aggression. I wouldn't give a goat to a young boy, knowing it is more likely to have social/personality issues if alone.

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Dona Barski

"Breed the best, eat the rest"

Caprice Acres

French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.

Clearly, if they aren't willing to listen to your advice, they probably will not care properly for him. Honestly, getting a child that wants a pet a goat does not make a lot of sense. . .as a first pet and an only pet.

Now, I do not know about in other areas, but around here, most goats are only pets, and yes, some of lawn mowers, but they seem to keep the same home for many, many years.

I do not know why wethers cannot find pet homes in most areas. I find our Nubians to be a nice a pet as our dogs! lol!

Until the money changes hands, it is her goat. She said they have not paid. I feel the "only if" should not be necessary. If they are told what the animal needs, and they aren't willing to provide it, it is her right to say no. Do you tell people you will only sell to them "only if" they agree to feed the animal. No, but if they came to you and said they are doing an experiment to see how long it can live without food, you would say see ya. We eat our males too. The only ones I have sold as pets went to a home that did everything they could to provide a good home.

my first goat was a retired dairy goat, as an 8 year old, I didnt know jack about goats, as matter of fact we kept her tied up unless some one was home. We had her for years with no other goats and I dont remember her being any trouble. Some years after we got a bottle buckling, he was an only goat and a nightmare.
When we first started with the goats again last year, we bought Lilly as a bottle baby, she didnt grow up with other goats, and still doesnt like the company of them, neither does another doe we bought. However any of the kids that get seperated from the herd go nuts and will go off their food.
I believe its ok if the goat is more conditioned to people, but would be wrong if the goat grew up in a herd to not have a goat friend.

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I'm a goat person, not a people person,
De @ Udderly Southern Dairy Goats
we will be adding a new breed in the spring

Maybe I am different.. With me. If it is wether. I just let him go and let them have it and they have to figure out and it is out of my hands. Because wether is worthless actually. BUT if they ended up die once and I let them try one more time. And if it died again and I refuse to work with them.. I have a guy or couple that will come and butcher the boys if I dont want them here.. It works out for us..

Cannon Farms is right, it's whatever they are acclimated to. We have a kiko/nubian cross doe now who grew up to this point (about 2 yrs) with a family who had young kids and no other goats. She had a hard time integrating into the goat herd, but loves loves loves people, to the point she is annoying.
And she was never a problem for the other people, even with a sort of crappy fence.

Those of you that post about successful "only goat" stories - I know of one, also. The people eventually got a pal for the Alpine wether but the wether was resentful and hated the other goat. He had lived alone for many years. The guy that owned it was devistated when the wether died, it was old but I don't know what it died of.
His wife took two Pygmy's from me. They only wanted one but I insisted they needed to be together as they were very bonded (a doe and brother wether)The people were suprised at how attached the Pygmies were to each other which was apparent immediately. A good home for them!
It depends on the goat. And I don't thing very many are "only goat" material.

I would never do that & I DON"T think a wether is useless.

No money as exchanged hands & I have been up front with these folks since they first came to see this little guy at 3 days old.

My goats are not bottle raised & are used to being with other goats although they are very friendly & Love people they still snuggle up with there goat buddy's everynight.
I do believe in most cases a goat needs a companion of some kind although I'm sure there are cases where they are fine alone but I think those are rare cases.
We have sold a single goat to go in with someone's horse before but they were still going to have a companion.

I agree a lonely or bored goat can & most likely become a trouble maker, destructive & maybe aggressive & right now this is still my goat & I don't want to take that chance.

They were not told they couldn't have him but do to what they can about getting him a companion, if they don't want to get him a companion & they come right out & tell me that, well I'll cross that bridge when it gets here but most likely I'll not let them have this goat.

Frankie is insulted by your opinion Deafgoatlady...he says "take it back!"
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9...D550/ry%3D400/

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Teach only Love...for that is what You are

Well I just wanted to let everyone know that they called today & are picking up the little wether tomarrow. They got him a little lamb to go in with him for now.

I know sheep & goats together & the mineral & copper issues which I will be sure to relate to them. If they need it I'll help them copper bolus the little guy when needed.

Well that's good! I bet it will all work out just fine

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Teach only Love...for that is what You are