Puget Sound Goat Rescue

Every year at PSGR we see lots of youngsters through the rescue. They bring an energy and a life to the rescue that is nothing short of exhausting, entertaining and adorable. We also see a number of young and mature adults who come to us from a variety of circumstances. They know their way around the world yet often have a youthful spirit. Among them, every year, we rescue some more mature does. Does that have most likely been through a lot in their years and who arrive at the rescue ready to relax and ready take on the world to do so. The Golden Girls as I like to call them. Our current cast of Golden Girls is by far one of my favorites. Saffron was part of a June slaughterhouse rescue. I didn’t see her on my first pass by of the front pen, a pen that is the last holding area before animals are processed. But the final time I passed by for one last check, there she was staring at me with those big eyes. She was the last goat in our truck that day. When we arrived back at the rescue she didn’t really want anything to do with us. She was standoffish and honestly, who could blame her. She had given birth each year to triplets for her former owners who then traded her to the slaughterhouse for some pigs and chickens. She arrived back at the rescue, got poked with a number of vaccinations, received a toenail trim and just wasn’t all too happy with us. But as the days and weeks went on, it became very clear to us, she was one of the sweetest goats on the farm. One of the first to greet anyone who enters the pasture, she will stand by you for as long as you will stand by her. She finds people quite useful as a head rest. When we take the herd out forest grazing, instead of feasting on all the browse, she just stands with me, often resting her head on me. She has been one of the biggest surprises with how incredibly people loving she is and I absolutely adore her.

One who wasted no time warming up to us was Chiquita. I cannot help but smile every time I see Chiquita. Chiquita was a standout during our last slaughterhouse rescue, following us all around the slaughterhouse and sticking her face in ours. This poor gal was extremely emaciated and her feet were in such neglected, poor condition that she had a hard time walking. I don’t think she has stopped eating since she arrived. Her favorite food, you guessed it, bananas! She got daily maintenance on her feet the first few weeks and she is now getting around without a second thought. She is the first out of the gate every day, always wants to have a conversation and is just one of the coolest goats we’ve had. We don’t know their past stories but if we had to guess, she was likely a dairy goat for many years until she was deemed too old or not producing enough milk and was sent to a livestock auction. We rescued another Saanen doe that same rescue, Athena. Chances are they came from the same place. Athena is much more reserved than her counterpart but she is another sweet, mellow gal that has likely seen a lot in her day. Currently Chiquita rooms at night with Jewel, an Alpine doe from the same rescue who, like her Saanen friends, was incredibly thin and could hardly walk due to the condition of her feet. She is incredibly sweet, follows Chiquita everywhere and has the same crazy appetite. Seeing them devour a bowl of food is a sight to be seen!

Then there is Margarite, a goat who cannot be missed. She simply won’t allow it. Forget about the street sweeper brush, she uses anyone who will stand still as a human scratching post. A big, beautiful Alpine, she really is a neat goat. I will admit she drives me a bit crazy at times; she often catches me off guard when she comes up behind me to use me as a scratching post, she wants to be the one and only goat through any gate in case there just might be an apple slice involved and when she doesn’t want to move, she doesn’t move. Albeit stubborn at times, she has a fun, youthful spirit and clearly age has not slowed her down one bit.

For most of these lovely ladies, we hope that wonderful adopters come along to give them that perfect “retirement” home they deserve. For some, such as our beloved Faye, that place is PSGR. Faye was one of the first stories I shared on this blog. Faye pretty much has the run of the farm. Sometimes she likes to spend time hanging out in the common area hoping to find the ICU stall open so she can sleep in the small straw filled area in there. Sometimes she’ll find her way into the kid areas while we’re cleaning and curl in their straw filled pools. Do you see a pattern here? She loves her beds. She still gets the pick of the produce from my refrigerator each week, she’s quite spoiled, just as she should be. PSGR just wouldn’t feel the same without our old gal Faye.

When I think about these Golden Girls, I can’t help but imagine them as retired ladies who lunch, in pearls and big hats, sharing stories of their years. I can just see them now…..Saffron; the wise one, Chiquita; the excentric, Jewel; always by Chiquita’s side, the voice of reason. Athena; the quiet observer, Margarite; the queen bee and Faye; just sipping her tea taking in a cozy day with friends. A sisterhood. One where after years of being a dairy producer, a brush clearer or a family pet, they were set aside but luckily, PSGR exists to make sure their stories don’t end there. They get to celebrate their golden years with beds full of straw, regular pedicures, friends and all the bananas they can eat!

Many of these Golden Girls are, or soon will be, available for adoption. Please email us at rescuegoats@yahoo.com for more information