LYNNFIELD POLICE PATROLMAN Franco Pisano leads five of the 15 recovered goats to safety on Tedford Lane on July 30. (Lynnfield Police Department Photo)

 

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Fifteen goats that escaped from a Bluejay Road property were safely rescued after a 24-hour ordeal last week.

“Goats to Go” co-owner Michelle Aulson said in an interview with the Villager that a Bluejay Road homeowner rented the 15 goats from the Georgetown-based farm in order to “eat brush and poison ivy.”

“We got a call on July 30 that our goats who were at a project on Bluejay Road had gotten out,” said Aulson. “I got there about 8:30 p.m. and was trying to piece together what happened. We had 15 goats there, and they usually stay together because they are herd animals. I was told that a dog had out gotten out, and it was harassing the goats. The goats escaped the electric fence, the dog chased them and the goats got separated.”

A Tedford Lane resident told police that five of the goats were roaming around the street at 8:02 p.m. on July 30. The Lynnfield Police Department wrote on its Facebook page that Patrolman Franco Pisano “was able to establish himself as the alpha and led the goats to safety.”

Aulson said eight more goats were located on a Tedford Lane resident’s patio on July 30, and Goats to Go retrieved them on the morning of July 31. She said two additional goats, Happy and Finny, were still missing.

After Aulson, Goats to Go employees and neighbors conducted an extensive and lengthy search for Happy and Finny, a caller informed police the two goats were located on Sparhawk Drive at 5 p.m.

“This was just shy of 24 hours after the ordeal began,” Aulson wrote on Goats to Go’s Facebook page. “The rescue was challenging, as some goats were stressed and confused, making capture difficult since they were still scared the dog would return. Amazingly, just as we were losing hope of catching the last goat before dark, a neighbor drove into their driveway and her garage at the exact moment our goat, Finny, rounded from the backyard to the front. The garage door closed at the perfect time, capturing him inside. The homeowners were unaware the goat called her in, but our handler saw this incredible moment as he rounded the corner as he was he was pursuing the goat. We were in disbelief after over three hours of trying to catch him and his buddy Happy.”

While Aulson said some of the goats had bite marks from the dog and minor injuries after getting out of the electric fence, she said all of them were found safe.

“We are very happy our goats were found safe, and the situation had a happy ending,” said Aulson. “We are beyond happy they are all resting at home.”

Aulson said Goats to Go staff members went to the Tedford Lane resident’s home on Aug. 1 to clean up the mess eight of the goats left on the patio. She said Animal Control Officer David Crockett and the Lynnfield Police Department were “very helpful” with helping Goats to Go recover the 15 animals.

“I called David Crockett to thank him,” said Aulson. “I really appreciated him helping us round up the goats. I also want to thank all of the residents who helped us.”