Is my neighbor neglecting his goat?

[RedTartan]

Ok, I thought I knew something (a little) about goat care. I'm not a goat-owner yet but I will be by this time next year. I've read a few books and I'm appalled by the way my neighbor keeps his goat.

He has her tethered to one spot. She has no access to shelter but does have shade. He moves her to a new spot in the yard about every week or so. He doesn't put her in a shed at night. He doesn't milk her regularly. I hear her crying (she's nubian) and she's obviously engorged. It rained really hard yesterday and the goat was just standing in it with her head and tail down.

If I had someplace to put her I'd offer to buy her.

I was complaining about this to a friend who's lived in the area his whole life and he said that wasn't a problem. Specifically, that the goat didn't need put up at night. He acknowledged that she should be milked twice daily...

I'm not going to do anything about this. I'm a live and let live type. I just wonder if I'm wrong. Is it okay to leave a goat tied out 24/7? I would never leave mine out. I'm not looking to be told that this is okay, I just want to stop worrying over the goat...

What say ye?

RedTartan

[Bearfootfarm]

To tie an animal out without access to shelter is considered abuse here and grounds for charges of neglect. Laws there may vary. Personally I woudnt do that to one of my animals . Does the goat have access to water at all times?

[Loda Farm]

No, what he is doing is not right. I am not sure why in the world he even has the goat if he isn't milking her. The way he is treating that animal is cruel. You should turn him in, as by Ohio law, all animals even livestock need some sort fo shelter from the elements.

Laura

[mpillow]

Just one goat? thats bad they are herd animals

I tether my best milker during the day because her 3month old baby will drink all the milk I need...but there is shade and she goes back in w/ 6 other goats at night...she can see the others in the pasture...we spoil her while she is out.

I'd be concerned about dogs/cyotes at night getting her at night...and not milking regular is terrible....maybe he'll let you milk her once a day and he can do the other?
I still say she needs a friend And at least a pallet shack w/ tarp top?
We get crates free from riding lawnmower store....you might check in your area

[myrandaandkids]

im no sure exactly, it doesnt seem fair, but then ive found that not everyone sees animals the way i do, however, here where i live it is illegal to keep any hoofed or cloven hoofed animal with out at least a windbreaker,and some means of shelter (even a roof on stilts is permittable with a single wall to break the wind,) but laws are different eveywhere, having no way to get even under a tree to get out of the wind and weather id be very worried about pnemonia or other illness, as for not being milked regularly, it is very uncompfortable for her, but no laws as far as i know cover that, if she has access to food and water, thats the main thing, i do find that type of treatment very harsh, as for crying, i have a nubian that cryes constantly unless im playing with her, and i cant be with her all the time, anyway, no in my opinion this isnt right, but if youre not intending to do anything about it what good does it do you to worry anyway? if i told you he was slowly killing her by doing this and you didnt intend to do anything, what has been accopmlished?not much cause youd still be worrying even worse, but like i said it doesnt sound good, but then ive heard of much worse, i wouldnt do that to mine, thats for sure, and i dont know if there are any laws against it where you are. the only thing i can say is if it continues to bother you talk to the farmer, or find out if it is against the law in your area, then decide if you want to let the proper authorities know about it if it is.

[Bunbun]

I tie mine out and she is my only goat the moment but I'll soon be looking for a buddie for her once we get her neck healed and make sure she is up for a friend outside my QH mare. I dont belive it is right to leave the goat like that mine goes in a sheltered area where she is safe from preditors and I suplement her feed with some good hay and a lil grain and minerals she needs to be healthy. If she is just staked out and not getting regular care its not right.

[ozark_jewels]

She should have shelter from the rain, be milked twice daily or at least once daily, and she should have a buddy. She doesn't *need* to be put up at night but a goat on a tether is an open invitation to predators and neighborhood dogs. And a goat on a tether is a very bad idea anyway......

[bumpus]

.
Goats do not need to be milked. If the goat has milk he may be trying to dry her up, so you stop milking and she will dry up on her milk.

Many people have hundred of goats on pasture, and they have no shelter, barn or shed.
Goats do not like rain water but it won't hurt or kill them, it will wash some of the stink off of them.

As long as the goat has water and grass to eat they will be all right, and a goat does not have to be fat to be healthy.

Goats do fine on grass or weeds. Tying a goat out is ok.
A friend of mine has 4 goats and they are tied up all of the time in summer eating his yard down, so he does not have to cut the grass.
He has been doing this for 30 years.

bumpus
.

[trob1]

(((Goats do not like rain water but it won't hurt or kill them, it will wash some of the stink off of them.)))

I am sorry to butt in but you must not have goats! Only the bucks smell and water aint gonna wash that off it comes from urine and scent glands. Females do not stink! And she was talking about a nubian doe.

[Idahoe]

This was more or less DH's attitude about goats. THere's a new class of livestock owners who have a more humane attitude toward animals than is traditional. The guy I bought from was of the old school. Goats staked out 24/7, moved reasonably often.

DH was in for a shock when he realized dairy goats need a more intense caretaking as far as nutrition and medical care. He thought goats were supposed to mow your back 40, drop a set of twins and a half gallon of milk a day. I am not extreme on the other end, but my career made me obsessive/compulsive about proper goat nutrition and overall medical condition.

Our dairy goats get the Cadillac treatment, and THAT'S why they drop healthy kids every year and good milk for the next seven or eight months. If they were turned loose without shelter, grains, shots, wormings in good pasture, they'd live but that's all you'll get, probably.

[bumpus]

Originally Posted by trob1

(((Goats do not like rain water but it won't hurt or kill them, it will wash some of the stink off of them.)))

I am sorry to butt in but you must not have goats! Only the bucks smell and water ain't gonna wash that off it comes from urine and scent glands. Females do not stink! And she was talking about a nubian doe.

I have had close to 200 goat from time to time and I did not say that the female goats smell as bad as a bucks do. But they do have a smell about them.

So hug you fine smelling goat, and get her smell all over you, and go to town and hug a friend, and let them smell your new goat smell.

Some people live in country, and still have city ways about them.

That's like some women who don't think they stink either. They just keep putting on more and more perfume trying to cover it up.

But they still stink, and need a bath ! ! !

A good rain shower won't hurt a goat or a woman ! ! !

bumpus
.

[ozark_jewels]

It may not be "abuse" but in my book is certainly is a form of "neglect" to leave a goat tied out so she has no choice of trying to find shelter, be the shelter a tree or a shed.
Tying a goat out *can* be fine.....but it can also be a disaster. I do NOT reccomend it.

[Faithful Heart]

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

It may not be "abuse" but in my book is certainly is a form of "neglect" to leave a goat tied out so she has no choice of trying to find shelter, be the shelter a tree or a shed.
Tying a goat out *can* be fine.....but it can also be a disaster. I do NOT reccomend it.

This is pretty much what I would say too. I personally wouldn't do it, but I see it done all the time. It's like some other farming practices, such as keeping laying hens crammed in little cages. They may live, give eggs, and do relatively "fine"... but it's a stressful way to live. You give an animal less quality of life, and you'll get less quality from them too.

In many parts of the world ALL the livestock are tethered..... even the chickens (none of them having housing). It's a way of keeping them in the area they need to stay without the expense of fencing. Like I said, I wouldn't do it, but who am I to tell all these people to do things my way? It's worked for thousands of years. Not "nice", but works for them.

[dbarjacres]

Also agree, many people keep their poor goats this way (amish around here are TERRIBLE at this, one keeps his buggy horse this way, it's 300 pounds minimum underweight, he ties it in the ditch, no water, no shelter, authorities do nothing, he's done this for 3 years now to this poor horse, treats his goats and sheep the same way, out in sleet even at the beginning and end of the "warm season") but that's not the way to keep any animal.

Some sort of shade/windbreak for a minimum in summer, a shelter in winter, proper food (whether grazing or hay/grain), free choice CLEAN water, and minerals are the minimum for any hooved stock. That's your basic, minimum care. Don't even get me going on all the health care! :-)

Unless being dried up, she should be milked 1-2x a day or that's just cruel, she should dry up on her own I'd think if that's how he's taking care of her or get terrible mastitis.

And I agree, does that are in a clean pasture/paddock without a buck near are very clean, non smelly animals! my bucks were even stink free for 3 months, but now are back to smelly time. I'd hug all my girls and go "to town" and not be scared of people looking at me funny. Now, if I wanted attention, I'd give the bucks a hug too! hehe

[trob1]

bumpus said, I have had close to 200 goat from time to time and I did not say that the female goats smell as bad as a bucks do. But they do have a smell about them.

So hug you fine smelling goat, and get her smell all over you, and go to town and hug a friend, and let them smell your new goat smell.



I am not sure what kind of goats you have but my does have no smell. My bucks are a different story. I rub my does often and no one smells, now just touch the bucks and you wont get a hand shake much less hug from a friend.


dbarjminis said, And I agree, does that are in a clean pasture/paddock without a buck near are very clean, non smelly animals! my bucks were even stink free for 3 months, but now are back to smelly time. I'd hug all my girls and go "to town" and not be scared of people looking at me funny. Now, if I wanted attention, I'd give the bucks a hug too! hehe

Maybe that is why my does dont stink and other peoples do. We have a new barn and I clean it every saturday from top to bottom. My goats are also fed natural grains, alfalfa pellets and orchard grass hay. I beleive what goes into a goat means alot.

[okgoatgal2]

that borders on abuse. anyone who's ever nursed a baby knows how painful it is to be engorged. it hurts like almighty he&&. that poor goat will get pneumonia if left in the rain in cool weather. goats need shelter more than other animals-especially dairy goats. even my citified friend who was just here for a week doesn't think my does stink-the pigs and chickens do, but not the goats-and she's as citified as they get. rain can and will cause pnemonia in dairy goats. nubians especially hate to get wet. left on a tether 24/7, she's prey to any predator that walks by. this man needs to be educated on the proper care and maintenance of a dairy goat, but that's not bloody likely to happen. i'm no bleeding heart, but if you're gonna have animals, treat them properly.

[Kittikity]

Contact your local animal control and see what they say.. You don't have to give your name or address.. Just ask them what the rules are in your area.. Then follow what you feel is right to report him or not.. Maybe even talk to him and ask him if there's a reason he has her the way he does.. Like not milking could just mean he's letting her dry out..

Or you can always offer to buy her and then build her a small shelter that she can walk into to get out of the rain and away from predators at nite.. Even a large dog cage with a tarp on it would be better than just standing in the open.. You might still have to tether her close to her shelter if you can't create a small pen for her.. But at least she would get shelter, milked (unless she's being dried up), and the love and attention that she's obviously not getting over there.. You can even take her on walks (sort of like you would do a dog every day) so she can graze around your property.. I don't have goats myself so I don't know if it will harm her to be in the rain.. But look at it this way.. Most goats, given the choice between rain and shelter, will stay in the shelter, right? This clearly says to me that they don't like being out in the rain..

But as I say whenever I give my opinion on something, it's only my opinion.. Not fact.. But it is fact that the better you take care of an animal, the healthier and happier it's going to be..

I'd also like to add that just because he's doing what used to be done "in the old days", doesn't mean it's right.. There a lot of things that people used to do "in the old days".. But that doesn't mean they were good things..

[Jillis]

Well, that about breaks my heart...goats especially need companionship...they are herd animals...and they need to be able to follow their natural "browsing" behavior.

Why does your neighbor have a goat? Is it for the milk?

If I had to see that every day it would eat at me.

I'm always amazed at what people do with goats..sure you CAN tie them up and keep them in one spot all day long in the blazing sun and pouring rain and force them to eat nothing but grass..absolutely you CAN..yup..is it the BEST way to keep a goat healthy and productive as livestock?? Nope it's not. But some folks just don't know much about nice healthy goats..

An animal in pasture with a few trees and no man-made shelter can at least get some protection from the elements..a tied goat cannot..IMHO that is not being a good steward of your animals, and for me, I'd call it being cruel..same as if I saw it being done to a dog, or a horse, or a cow or a pig..whatever. To each his own.

[moosemaniac]

If you want to kidnap the goat and get it out of the State, I'm not far away.

But seriously, he is definately neglecting that goat.

Ruth