When I pulled up, they were near our mailboxes and our mail carrier was working through the mail. I jokingly asked, “Are these your goats?”
To my delight, they followed. I made it back up to our townhouse and they became more interested in the mail carrier again. I opened the back gate and the mail carrier helped lead them toward me. Then it became a challenge to get all three in the backyard at the same time. I’d have two in the back and one near the gate. But just as that last goat would come in, one would slip out. The two goats who were in the backyard got comfortable and start munching on some weeds. It seem to make the third that was still outside the fence jealous. Finally, all three goats were in the backyard.
I snapped some photos and made a post on social media groups, hoping that the goat parents were looking for the kids. Then I called animal control. Finally, I called Betsey who was at work, hoping she was in between responsibilities and could pick up.
“Did you see the photo I just sent?” I asked.
“No.”
“We’ve got goats in our yard.”
“Goats?! Wait, I’ve got to see this photo.” I waited as she pulled her phone back to look at our text thread. I could tell it had gone through because she gasped. “Oh my god, there’s goats in our backyard.”
Soon, my neighbor made her way back to my place with a neighbor neither of us had met before. She returned just as two animal control officers arrived. I feared if I opened the gate, the goats would butt their way out so I walked them through the house.
Once the goats were roped, we all went out to the front and that’s where the real block party began. Out came the neighbors across the street and right next door. We’d never met but these goats brought us together. Thankfully, amongst all of us, a few folks were confident they knew the house the goats belonged to. An officer confirmed it was a house across the busier cross street.
We all watched as traffic stopped on both sides as the goats returned home.