How serious is tresspassing?

Actually, and some may find this unusual given my profession, I agree with Gary.

I look at it this way:

1. Having the goats is clearly illegal;
2. It is very likely people know about the goats;
3. No one has caused any trouble about the goats.

If you request a variance, and legal grounds do not exist for granting one (and the probably don't) then:

1. Having the goats is illegal;
2. Everyone is officially aware that the goats are there;
3. They will feel compelled to do something about it.

I also agree with the posters who are pointing out that it is troubling to see someone wanting to know if they can use the law to cover up the fact that they are breaking the law.

On the other hand, I am gratified that no one has suggested the "SSS" strategy that some chukleheads around here routinely recommend.

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"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law." -- Winston Churchill

I'd suggest that you get someone just outside of town limits to agree to house the goat if the issue comes up and is resolved not in your favor. You could still take care of it, or make it a two family community goat, and split the care and milk.

I would let it ride unless it does become a problem. Ne sense stirring the pot yourself. As for legal, he probably has every right to come over and look in your yard. Will he do it? I doubt it.

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http://mmsmiracle.com/EnjoyBetterHealth

Put up a privacy fence and lock it.

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Hut on the Hill Farm
http://www.hutonthehill.org

Happy without dairy? I don't think so....

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Hut on the Hill Farm
http://www.hutonthehill.org

Yeah I agree... would be as bad as life without chocolate!

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Uncle Dutch Farms
Blogging from working city mom to homesteading housewife.
Rural Living Today
Encouragement for the Urban-to-Rural Transition
My review of the Piteba oil expeller

"As for the pet thing..not in my opinion. Your milking these goats. Pets are not milked. These animals are livestock. Heck ask the ag dept of the US. Goats are livestock, even if they are kept 'like' a pet."

Of course, then again, the OP might live in Free America....and they might get to consider a goat what they want when they want to...

This is relevant to your point & is in Indiana.


I would make sure your property is fenced with a privacy fence with no outside access to you yard. I would also keep the girls happy ( and Quiet ) .
also keeping a radio playing at the sidewalk side of the house at a repectable volume to help mask any sounds heard. That said. We have Goats for milk, gotthem because of a Cow milk allergy and leter found out that our daughter now 3 is only allergic to ""Processed "" cows milk. She can tollerate Raw cows milk with little or nor more than normal reactions.


On the other side of the arguement you will hear (if you haven't alread ) that no animal needs milk beyond the age they are weanned. While it is true, it is of no comfort to those who have allergies to milk.

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Reverend George Hoppes

Available to preform Weddings, Blessings and other services in Southern Missouri.
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All it takes is 1 person to complain I know we lived in a small town in WA. state when we moved there in Aug. I went to city hall told the lady I had three dogs that they were in kennels and did I need any tags she sold me 3 then in Jan. the next year I went in to buy 3 more.
Well April came as did the snowbird people back and this one old man was so hateful we had seen someone walk by and the dogs were doing their loud peopple bark we went outside and cought him in our back yard,He asked are those your dogs I see that you have moved here while I was gone well we told him mwhat we thought about him and the next day the only town cop came over and gave us notice it did no ggod talking to the concil has this man was on it.It did not matter that the city clreck sold 3 tags.
even after getting notes from my closest nieghbors that they never hear them bark well because they dont unless they see people close like the man on our lawn.
and with talking to people I find out over 100 dogs have died so I went to work on time frames and talking to just about all in town the city cop was nice and told me alot like to watch my own dogs after I had reorted this man trying several ways to sneek back there but like I said my dogs have this bark that are only for people I tought my so was gonna kill this guy.although had one of my dogs died I probally would have done it.
well any way the cop just told us to keep them inside when we could and to change out the two males that looked a like and the man would never know so that worked for me while I was trying to find a new place to live.
As for the old man I wrote a piece to the city paper got several emails back on more dead dogs and got the bigger authories involed he was arrested on several count of abuse with the owner of some of the dogs to testify. We safley moved,Paula
P.S. I hope if you are caught you will be able to convince them.

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'It Is A Wise Father Who Knows His Own Child'
Shakespeare
A WOMAN MUST NOT RELY ON A MAN TO PROTECT HER, SHE MUST LEARN TO PROTECT HERSELF.
SUSAN B. ANTHONY

I totally agree.

BTW...I can sympathize with you. My son had severe allergies as a child and was on goat milk. I was fortunate in that my Daddy had milk goats so it wasn't a challenge to obtain for us. I hope you will approach the board with your situation so that they can work with you. Good luck!

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I'm running so far behind I thought I was first!

http://hickahala.blogspot.com/

Wrong answer, and you know it.

To investigate a sound that sounds much like a child in trouble is not trespassing. It is prudent on the other persons part if it should happen. If my child or grandchild was hurt I would want a passer by to check it out and let me know.

Now as for your worries, stop worrying. You obviously care nothing about these minor laws, so just keep ignoring them. They do not seem to apply to you anyway.

The proper way to do things would be to approach the council and get a variance. An exception to the rule, in this case for medical reasons. There are exceptions written into the laws for people who need dogs to help them because of blindness. You might also get an exception if you just ask.

Move to an area that doesn't have zoning laws and do what ever you want. I can't get upset by people that have zoning laws and complain about them or break the laws and complain about them. If you can't move then get rid of the goats just like the law says and stay their and quit complaining.

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God must have loved stupid people because he made so many of them.

The "pet" idea didn't work for my Dad. He had 2 pygmy goats as pets and had to get rid of them...the law says "no hoofed animals" in his town.

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

Free country? LOL
Tell that to the gov that says goats are livestock even if you 'choose' to call it a pet.
Also tell that to the city ordinance board of directors that agree with the gov that goats are livestock.

If goats ever become legally recognized pets (And I sure hope not)....it would become like dogs, ruled and regulated to ad nauseum.
Like we need that happening.

Heck, if you want to call livestock a pet, fine. Get some land in the country where its allowed and call them pets.
Then your living free because you can call them what you like even though the gov says otherwise.

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"We spend money we don't have on things we don't need to create impressions that won't last on people we don't care about."
~T.Jackson

My site.

A thought about the comments on moving to a new area without restrictions on livestock. While at first that may seem unrealistic, alot of people make HUGE moves for health reasons alone. I knew of one family that relocated to the desert from Oregon just for their daughter's health (she had cystic fibrosis, I believe). And lots and lots of older folks move to dry climates to ease their aches and pains from arthritis. If your son so needs the goat milk, why not just move a ways to a location where it's feasible to have milk goats in your yard? I don't have a problem with you breaking a silly law like you have, but I wouldn't want to have to worry all the time about someone complaining and harshing my mellow. Ask for a variance, plead your case, and then if all else fails, move on.

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"Perhaps I'll have them string a clothesline from the hearse I am in, with my underwear waving in the breeze, as we drive to the cemetary. People worry about the dumbest things!"
by Wendy

Same deal here as Minelson's: hoofed animals may be "my" pets, but according to the law, they are "livestock". That you are milking them would only confirm it. Same as pot-bellied pigs, etc. I know someone who had a mini horse on an acre of land, and the neighbour complained. She had to tear down the barn and everything, and sold the horse.

"They" might say that you could just as easily buy goat milk from a legitimate goat farm. That it is cheaper to do yourself won't matter, it is still illegal. You know there are more and more regulations as to what a person can do (eat and drink) from his OWN livestock? Raw milk in Ontario is now a no-no. The government really frowns on farmers who do drink it, and you certainly can't sell it (sadly). They may frown on your non-legit farm (as not being sanitary enough, or whatever).

Me, if I were you, I would have my goats and keep quiet. Don't stir the pot. Maybe no one will ever say anything and you'll be fine. Walk into the township office and you'll have an investigator out there so fast, you'll get whiplash.

Here's maybe a different example of what you are facing though: here in Ontario, it is sometimes legal to buy pot (if you have a legit disease that is helped by it, such as MS). You can get it very expensively through the drug store and from what I understand, must jump through hoops to get it......or you can buy it cheaply on the street. You will still get busted if you buy it on the corner, no matter how legit your reason for having it is.

So if you really feel that goat is doing your son good, and it's apparently "invisible" to the neighours (not an "issue"), then SHHHHHHHH! I don't think you'll do too much time for harbouring a fugitive goat, though. Just be warned that by the law, you are in the wrong.

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"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap."

Not all county/city/state governments are run by people like you, Riverpines. Nor do some of us consider the government definition final and/or non-negotiable.

My city allows for you to register a goat...and it wears a tag and they don't care if you milk it.

I was referring to the fact that the town in Indiana might not be as ridiculous as your town in Wisconsin...although I don't know so for a fact.

Enough trouble will find you anyway, don't borrow more...

My city is that ridiculous! I recently had a 5 week old Nigerian Dwarf (maybe a whole 6 lbs) in the local park and had to keep my eyes peeled for the "dog catcher". I would have gotten a citation for having livestock in the city. That happened to someone I know who used to have a PB pig. It was housetrained and walked on a leash. The town saw it, ticketed him, and that was that. Forget that it pooped on command better than a lot of the city dogs.

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"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap."

How about a horse. No one can complain about a horse it is my right to have a horse and nothing else can Be said about it.And what about a cow I get hive drinking any other milk except raw milk and I can't buy raw milk I must be able to have a cow in the city even though I only have a 1/2 acre.

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God must have loved stupid people because he made so many of them.

Adage #1
It is easier to ask forgiveness than permission.....

Your family is the priority. Yuppie "prettiness" laws are shallow and morally questionable, IMO.
Be aware that penalites, if you are nabbed, can be costly - maybe costly enough to
cover moving expenses.

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Hut on the Hill Farm
http://www.hutonthehill.org