“BOG TURTLES AND BABY GOATS” – YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOO!!!
Recently, a passerby called NJAFA about some baby goats “kids” that were seen outside with no shelter on a freezing cold weekend in sub zero weather on NJ Land Management owned property.
Kathy McGuire immediately contacted Fish and Game Law Enforcement, NJ SPCA and animal control. We learned the kids were owned by a private farmer who was allowed to keep his goats from May to September on this NJ State owned land as part of an experiment involving bog turtles. We also took video of the situation and advised the entities involved we would be calling a news station if the animals were not removed.
The Federal Office of Endangered Species from May to September leases the goats from a local farmer to keep on the land where the bog turtles are. The goats keep the foilage to a minimum to allow the sun to come through so the turtles (who are endangered) can survive.
The NJ SPCA told the owners of the goats it was “ok” and that the kids did not need shelter. We all spent a sleepless night knowing these babies were out in the freezing cold with no shelter. no trees, no lean to, only a small area of bare branches that had fallen down was the only covering they had.
On Monday Kathy McGuire contacted the leading goat specialist at New Bolton the leading school of veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania (where Barbarosa was treated). The specialist there informed NJAFA that under no circumstances were the kids to be left out in the elements and that they would die. Sheep will stand in the rain and don’t mind rain, but goats flee from it and need to have cover.
On Monday, Kathy McGuire also called the Dept of Agriculture, the NJ State Veterinarian and the Office of Fish and Wildlife.After myriad of calls, the owner of the kids removed the babies and took them back to the farm and to shelter.
We then contacted the Dept of Endangered Species where she spoke to the biologist who was in charge of this project in New Jersey.The biologist explained that he did not know the goats had had babies and that the farmer had asked that the goats be allowed to remain on the State owned property because of the nice weather we enjoyed from September to January.
The biologist also told us that because of all our phone calls the goats being used for this experiment will NOT BE ALLOWED, no matter what, to stay past September and that a shelter WILL BE BUILT before the next group of goats goes to the experimental land in May.
The morale of this story? YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!
If you see something that does not look “right” or just because an authority figure tells you it is “right” or “ok” doesn’t mean it is so. Be diligent, be assertive, be within the confines of the law and you can make a difference too!!! Don’t take no for an answer and be creative… think of all the entitites and compoments that are part of the cruelty situation and think out of the box as to whom you can contact to MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!