Fifteen goats escaped from a Lynnfield resident’s home on Bluejay Road on Tuesday, July 30.
Five of the goats were found Tuesday night and another eight were found the following morning, all on Tedford Lane, Goats to Go owner Michelle Aulson said. The remaining two goats — Finn and Happy — were found on Hawkes Lane early Wednesday evening, just under 24 hours after their escape.
The 15 goats that went missing were hired by a Lynnfield resident to eat brush and poison ivy and were contained with an electric fence, she said.
“Unattended dogs caused the goats to somehow escape and be chased for an unknown period of time,” Aulson said.
“The rescue was challenging, as some goats were stressed and confused, making capture difficult. Amazingly, just as we were losing hope of catching the last goat before dark, a neighbor drove into their driveway and garage at the exact moment our goat, Finn, rounded from the backyard to the front. The garage door closed at the perfect time, capturing him inside. The homeowners were unaware, but our handler saw this incredible moment,” she said. “We were in disbelief after over three hours of trying to catch him. We are beyond happy they are all safely home and resting.”
She said Lynnfield Animal Control Officer David Crockett assisted in finding and leading the goats back to safety.
He spent Tuesday night and Wednesday morning helping with the search, she said.
Goats to Go is a family-owned farm in Georgetown with more than 130 goats and 100 sheep that has been in business for more than 45 years, Aulson said. The farm began offering a goat-rental service 12 years ago, through which customers can use the goats to remove poison ivy, brush, and other invasive species from their yards.
She said Goats to Go provided clean-up service to the backyard of the home on Tedford lane where eight of the goats were found and offered service to any other yards that were damaged during the search.
“This is the first time in 12 years that we’ve ever had anything like this happen,” Aulson said.
