Bleat and enter: A B.C. family came home from vacation and found a goat had moved in

Tanya Mould has had stray cats on her property, but nothing prepared her for a stray goat.

On Wednesday, the Prince George, B.C., woman arrived home with her family from a vacation to Mexico and noticed their detached workshop was a mess.

Since they live rurally, the family thought maybe a moose or deer had gotten in and destroyed some things. 

But when they noticed some sort of animal chewing on plastic covering one of the shop windows, Mould cautiously opened the door, and the culprit revealed itself to be an unknown goat who had moved in while they were away — and has shown no signs of wanting to leave.

“It just walked out like it owned the place and it hasn’t left since,” Mould said.

The shop door swings open onto the inside, so it’s easy for an animal to let itself in without being able to get out again. But that doesn’t seem to bother the goat, which keeps returning to the shop “like he’s taken it over,” Mould said.

At first she thought friends were playing a prank on her, but no one took responsibility.

She’s posted the animal’s picture on online pet networks but so far, no one has claimed it as their own.

Although Mould’s parents briefly had a goat when she was very young, “I am not a farmer in any way,” she says. 

“I’m pretty sure it knows it, too… I’m terrified of goats, actually.”

Social animal

But the goat isn’t terrified of the family it has apparently adopted as its own.

It attempted to follow them into the house several times and even started climbing through an open window using a snow bank. 

Though they aren’t sure if it’s male or female, the family has nicknamed it Gordo, for ease of reference.

Goat farmer Katrina Hall, who lives in the nearby community of Vanderhoof, says based on the behaviour described, Gordo was likely raised to have a close relationship with humans.

“They’re very herd oriented,” she said. Her guess is the goat was recently sold to a new owner and decided it didn’t like things there, so attempted to go home before settling in with the Mould family.

“It was probably used to being in the house or someone’s shop or barn,” she said.

“At that point, they’re very human oriented.”

Hall said it looks like a mixed breed. Mould just describes Gordo as “huge.”

Looking for a home

Goats are also opportunistic eaters, meaning they can survive on just about anything that could be edible, which explains how it was able to survive on its own.

Mould borrowed some hay from a neighbour to feed Gordo — letting the goat out of the shop, which it continuously returned to after doing rounds of the property. Mould says she has not yet had the courage to assess the damage inside.

She is still hoping an owner comes forward.

While her 10-year-old son is keen on keeping the pet, Mould says she won’t be swayed: “Absolutely not,” she said.

Instead, on late Friday Gordo was moved to a farm by an experienced owner while the search for his home continues.

Already, she says, the house and yard is quieter.

“I kind of miss his shenanigans already,”

“Not enough to want a goat, though.”