GREGARIOUS
GOATS
NED
11 YEARS OLD
Ned is a big deal around the sanctuary. He is one of the eldest goats and the largest. Ned's size, his distinct markings, and color are inherent to his Boer breed. Boer goats are the largest of their species and because of their size, are seen as ideal for consumption.
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While Ned doesn't have the threat of being turned into a product, he does have some unique health needs. Ned came to FCFS with a severe gunshot wound to his leg and was very thin. He's had a long recovery journey with ups and downs. Due to the nature and severity of his initial injuries, Ned is not as agile as his goat buddies. Even though he's the biggest, he can't maneuver as quickly or get away as smoothly as his friends and would get picked on.
Ned was a bit of a misfit amongst his pasture mates and struggled to keep up with them. We took a chance and tried Ned is his own bachelor pad. He loved it! Ned has is own pasture and house just outside the medical barn where the staff work out of. This is perfect for Ned because he prefers human friendships and with all his medical needs, he is close to his
Care Team.
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Along with his mobility concerns, Ned has endured bouts of skin and parasite issues. All of which require extra monitoring of his weight, coat, and motor function. Despite all of the challenges Ned has faced, his zest for life has never faded. Ned absolutely loves each day and all the attention he gets. For enrichment and exercise, Ned takes supervised field trips around the sanctuary. This gives him the opportunity to graze, visit the other residents, and participate in one of his favorite activities, playing with the staff!
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Ned's face, smile, and personality are one of kind. He is incredibly endearing and truly beloved by all. We are thankful that Ned is still able to participate in all the activities that he loves. We love to see him in action and are grateful to be able to meet his needs.
HIPPOLYTA
11 YEARS OLD
Hippolyta is an absolute sweetheart and lovebug. Her pasture is definitely one of chill. Hippo's group has a good time doing goat activities, but they're not as notorious for creating chaos as their friends in the other goat group. If you enter Hippo's pasture a line will form for scratches.
Hippo was a surrender. She arrived with her bestie and fellow Saanen goat, Puck. The Saanen breed is typical of the goat dairy industry. Thankfully, Hippo hasn't had to endure repeat pregnancies to keep her producing milk. In contrast, Hippo has nothing taken from her and she's able to spend her day as she chooses. Sometimes this includes napping on a picnic table or trying to sample the grass of the neighboring pasture through the fence.
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Hippo is one of the FCFS super seniors and some would say the goat with the best beard. She is active and has taken on the role of grandparent to youngsters Pelé and Anjo. Since she is in her elder years, Hippo does have some joint concerns and receives daily medication to aid her comfort and mobility. In the winter to help regulate her body temperature, Hippo wears a custom magenta jacket. Hippo in her goat coat is one of our favorite sights.
PELE
7 YEARS OLD
Pelé and his sister Xuxa were two of three births to ever occur at FCFS. Like Sylvia who arrived pregnant and gave birth to Scarlett, Fawn arrived pregnant with the siblings.
Fawn escaped auction and was found wandering the streets of Atlanta, the auction number still glued to her forehead. Fawn was a dedicated mother to Pelé, Xuxa, and her adopted son, Anjo. The family was always together with Fawn and Xuxa keeping especially close.
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Tragically during a storm in the winter of 2023, a tree fell on the house where all the goats were huddled waiting for the weather to pass. Fawn and Xuxa were on a separate side of the house and passed away upon impact. Pelé, Anjo, Puck, Isabella and Hippo were trapped in the other side of the house. Emergency services aided in freeing the trapped goats. In a final act of love, Animal Care Manager, Emma, and board members worked for hours in attempt to free Fawn and Xuxa so they could be cremated.
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With such a deep loss, Pelé and Anjo have been comforted by the remaining members of their herd. Pelé learns goat hacks from Puck. Puck taught him to use his height to take advantage of the snacking opportunities on the tall branches.
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Pelé appreciates a good scratch between the horns and frequently runs toward us when we enter the pasture. He is confident and resilient. Seeing him in the pasture with is mom, sister, and brother always brought joy to our heart. It's rare to have a whole family together and we cherished every opportunity to witness the love they shared. With Pelé's face bearing similar marks as Fawn and Xuxa, when we look at him, we are able to see them.
SALTY
7 YEARS OLD
Salty is a shy guy with an unforgettable face. Part of what makes Salty so distinguishable are his tiny ears. This is a genetic trait characteristic of his LaMancha breed. Salty is the only goat at FCFS that was born without horns. This in combination with his reserved demeanor, and slimmer build, puts Salty in a low rank within the herd. His ranking doesn't deter him from getting into a little mischief from time to time. We happily cheer him on.
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Salty is a member of the Scape Goat group which has been integrated with the Bachelor Goat group. Salty, Jesse, and George Michael originally came from the goat dairy industry and then made their way into the landscaping industry.
A company used these boys to clear land, but did not provided them proper health care or nutrition. As result from their time being put to work, Salty, Jesse, and George Michael developed parasites, became ill, and were no longer profitable to the company. They were surrendered to us and the work began to get the trio healthy.
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It took a very long time to get the Scape Goats in good health. To prevent them from passing parasites to the rest of the goat herd, the boys were given their very own pasture. Finally after many months of treatment and healing, Salty, George Michael, and Jesse were integrated with the Bachelor Goats to form a super group.
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Salty pals around with Zac, a fellow reserved gentleman. Salty is very sweet and we celebrate all the adventures he chooses to pursue. We also try to sneak him leaf snacks when the more dominant goats aren't looking. We think he appreciates our stealthy treats.
NESTOR
9 YEARS OLD
Nestor was born on a small dairy farm. As a male goat unable to produce milk, his fate was to be sold for slaughter. However, since Nestor was born blind, the farm owner decided to surrender him instead. Nestor's lack of sight ended up saving his life.
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Nestor relies on his memory and other senses to navigate his pasture and interact with his environment. His hearing is very sharp and he relies on it most when investigating. Nestor knows his name very well. With his excellent hearing, Nestor perks his head up when his name is called. He will run to the fence to see who is there and if he can get some scratches. Nestor participates in all goat behaviors, including head butting.
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Hippo's group is friends with Nestor and they have play dates. Everyone interacts gently with him. Even when it's time for playful headbutting, his friends understand that they should have a softer touch with Nestor. He enjoys their company and the opportunity to do goat things with friends.
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Besides enjoying the company of his species, Nestor also likes being around his Care Team. They know him well and he is relaxed in their presence. Nestor is has a sweet disposition and is happy to receive attention. With his height, build, and markings, he could also be a model!
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SHANE
11 YEARS OLD
Shane is the GOAT of mischief. An entire book could be dedicated to chronicling Shane's adventures. Snacks and keeping us on our toes seem to be among his all time favorites.
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Like Salty, Shane is a LaMancha goat and therefore a member of the tiny ear club. He is a leader and the highest ranking member of his goat gang. Shane is confident, determined, and proud. In fact, he is determined to make it out of his gate, confident that he can do what he wants, and proud when his plans for chaos are successful! When Shane is victorious a look comes across his face that says, "I win!" If being stealthy was an Olympic sport, Shane would take the gold medal.
As you can tell, Shane has a big personality! He is friendly, outgoing, charming, and he loves to say hi to guest. Shane is always hopeful that his charm will turn into a leaf snack or a branch being offered to him. He's very efficient at achieving his goals.
Shane is royalty to us, but he hasn't always lived the good life. He was found abandoned in the woods locked inside an old crate. He had lice, parasites, and was underweight. Shane was in need of medical attention, proper nutrition, and love. We were able to provide him with the elements he needed to feel safe and secure enough to boss us around.
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We're happy for how far Shane has come and we find all his shenanigans to be incredible endearing.
ISABELLA
14 YEARS OLD
At fourteen, Isabella is the most super of the FCFS goat seniors! Her breed is Pygmy. Along with being the eldest goat, she simultaneously holds the title of the smallest. Like Isabella, female goats can have horns and beards like their male counterparts. However, it is common practice to "debud" goats, which is the removal of their horns. This is a painful process and one that Hippolyta endured. Thankfully, Isabella did not have to experience the same fate. Like our fingernails, goat horns are made of keratin and grow continually throughout their lifetime.
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Pelé has taken a liking to Isabella and follows her around the pasture. It's more of a one sided friendship. Isabella mostly tolerates Pelé, but she prefers the company of her grown up goat friends. She is besties with Hippolyta.
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Isabella is on team "shy goat" and doesn't approach humans. This changes when it's meal time. When she sees the Care Team with her food bowl, she has no problem coming to investigate. Though Isabella is tiny compared to all her friends, she will not share food with Puck and Pelé who tower over her. However, she will let Anjo enjoy his meal with her.
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Isabella is a strong communicator and is very talkative. You might be surprised to hear such a strong voice from such a small goat. We're happy to listen to everything Isabella has to say. Even when she's telling us that we need to hurry with dinner, we always appreciative of the opportunity to listen.
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