Latest news with #goat
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
Watch: Loose goat evades capture for weeks in Maryland
June 24 (UPI) -- A goat on the loose in a Maryland town has been feasting on residents' lawns and dodging capture attempts for several weeks. Fort Washington resident Jeffrey Herbert said the goat, which he dubbed Billy the GOAT, can often be seen squeezing between neighborhood fences in the early morning. Herbert said animal control has responded multiple times, but officers haven't been able to get a hold of Billy. "He can't be caught," Herbert told NBC Washington. "Somebody owns him. They need to come get him." Maine State Police experienced the difficulty of wrangling loose goats earlier this month when 15 of the animals escaped from a trailer in the northbound lanes of the Maine Turnpike in Falmouth. The goats were safely rounded up without any injuries to humans or animals.
Zawya
24-06-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Halting a sheep and goat plague outbreak to protect livelihoods in Sierra Leone
When an outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR)—also known as sheep and goat plague—threatened to wipe out people's livelihoods in Kamasasa village, Sierra Leone, quick action from trained Sierra Leone Red Cross Society volunteers and local authorities stopped the spread of disease and minimized its damage on the community. Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting small animals, such as sheep and goats. PPR can be fatal and outbreaks, if left undetected, can have devastating consequences for people's livelihoods, particularly in pastoral communities. In Kamasasa, a village in north-west Sierra Leone where people are reliant on goat and sheep farming to make a living, an outbreak of PPR struck in September 2022 and threatened to wreak havoc in the community. 'It was all over the town," explains Pa Adikali Sesay, Chief of Kamasasa village."Everywhere you would go, people would say that their goats were sick. Some people would be crying because they were losing hope. If there was an emergency and they or their children got sick or if they need to pay school fees for their children, how would they pay for those things if all the animals died?' Having never experienced a PPR outbreak before, people were unsure what to do. And misinformation was spreading alongside the disease. Some farmers even fled the village, believing that their animals were under some form of mystical attack. But thankfully, local Sierra Leone Red Cross Society volunteers were on hand to support the community. Trained in epidemic control and community-based surveillance through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), they immediately recognized the disease as PPR, rapidly reported the outbreak to local animal health authorities, and mounted an effective response to halt its spread. 'Our volunteers started mobilizing the community, sensitizing them, telling them not to eat these animals," says Osman Justin Conteh, CP3 Manager with the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society."We separated the sick from those that are not sick so that then the disease will not continue to spread. Then specimens were collected and sent to the lab. We supported the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to treat these animals, vaccinating more than 10,000 goats and sheep against PPR." This quick, coordinated action made sure that PPR stopped spreading in the community and that sick animals were able to recover, with volunteers earning thanks and recognition from community members. Sorie Daba Sesay, a farmer from Kamasasa village, says: ' The Red Cross arrived and told us to look for animals that were sick or had died. They helped get medicine to the sick goats so they would get better and not get sick again. We say to the Red Cross, thank you!' And Kamasasa village chief, Pa Adikali, adds: 'The Red Cross did an incredible job. Without their intervention, we could have lost all our animals. The Red Cross arrived right when we needed their help.' This PPR outbreak response is just one example of many disease outbreaks detected, reported and responded to through the CP3 programme in Kambia. Since the programme began in 2018, Sierra Leone Red Cross Society teams have improved their capacity to prepare for and respond to epidemics and developed close partnerships with human, animal and environmental health authorities to keep communities healthy and safe. 'The coming of CP3 and the Red Cross has helped us greatly in trying to mitigate the death toll of goats and sheep," says Ibrahim Harri Sesay, District Livestock Officer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Kambia. "They have trained over 250 volunteers across the districts here. CP3 volunteers are all over in the communities. They are with them, they know their problems. If there are any problems with disease, be it animal or human, they report to us directly and we react appropriately.' The activities featured in this article were delivered as part of the multi-country Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3) which ran from 2018-2025. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), CP3 supported communities, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other partners to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond to disease threats. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ring Bearer Goat Drags Flower Girl, Causes Chaos at Barn Wedding: ‘Most Unexpected Comedy Show'
A Redditor shared that a goat was hired to be the ring bearer at their cousin's wedding However, the person said that instead of walking down the aisle, the goat "wandered off," and "dragged" the flower girl behind him before he tried to eat the couple's guest book The Redditor also noted that the goat made an appearance in several of the couple's wedding photosA bride and groom had an unforgettable wedding experience — all thanks to a goat. A person shared on Reddit's 'Wedding Drama' forum that they attended their cousin's wedding with a 'rustic chic' theme, complete with a 'barn, fairy lights, burlap runners' and the unexpected farm animal, who was set to deliver the rings. 'Everyone turned expectantly, phones ready, and instead of a child in a little suit, out came Gregory,' the Redditor said. 'Gregory is a goat. A real, living goat. In a tuxedo.' 'Apparently, the couple thought it would be adorable to have their pet goat carry the rings,' the person continued, adding, 'And it might've worked if Gregory was in the mood to cooperate. He wasn't.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. They shared that the goat wandered off the aisle and 'dragged the poor flower girl behind him' before he made a beeline for the guest book table and tried to eat it. They noted that it caused a commotion at the wedding. 'The officiant barely blinked, a total professional,' the Redditor said. 'Meanwhile, the rest of us sat there frozen between confusion and laughter.' They noted that the best man in the wedding eventually 'lured' the goat away with a 'breadstick from the appetizer table.' Luckily the 'rings were intact' and the ceremony was able to continue. However, the goat still managed to sneak into 'nearly every photo' and stood there like 'he was part of the bridal party.' 'It was chaotic, hilarious, and honestly kind of perfect in its own weird way,' they said. 'I don't know if it was the goat or the love in the air, but that wedding? Unforgettable.' Several people responded to the Redditor noting that they wished they had been there to see the spectacle. One person wrote, 'I would take out a second mortgage on my house to pay whatever entry fee would be required to witness this.' In response, the Redditor said, 'Honestly, it felt like we accidentally bought front row seats to the most unexpected comedy show of the year, starring a goat in formalwear.' He added, 'I'm pretty sure Gregory knew he was the main character, too. If I ever get married, I might have to hire him as a professional wedding crasher.' Another joked, 'Please tell your cousin that she has now ruined weddings for me. If there isn't an uncooperative goat in a tux, I'm not coming.' While someone else playfully chimed in writing, 'Gregory is the GOAT.' Read the original article on People
CNN
12-05-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Runaway goat attempts to ram cyclist off bike in freak incident during Giro d'Italia
New Zealand cyclist Dion Smith got quite the scare during the third stage of this year's Giro d'Italia, after almost being knocked off his bike by a runaway goat on Sunday. The bizarre incident occurred during the 160km stage of the prestigious race, which started and finished in the Albanian town of Vlorë, as the peloton was on its fast descent down a hill. Smith, who rides for the Intermarche–Wanty team, said he had spotted a small herd of goats by the side of the road and moved to the right-hand side to avoid any potential collision. Unfortunately for him, one of the goats decided to dart across the road, right into the cyclist's path. Perhaps anticipating the collision, video footage showed the goat leaping into the air and brushing Smith's leg and back wheel. The rider was pushed onto the grass verge as a result, but managed to stay on his bike and rejoin the road shortly after. Meanwhile, the goat appeared unharmed and trotted away. 'I didn't have too much time to think. I could see it 10 seconds before, the policeman was trying to keep them all in, and then one or two started coming across,' Smith said, adding that he still loves animals. 'I mean, what can I say? I didn't know which way I was going to go, and everyone else went left. I chose right, but in the end, it was fine.' It's certainly not the first time a wild animal has caused chaos during the Giro d'Italia. In 2023, a dog caused a pileup after running onto the road, forcing several cyclists to slam on the brakes in rainy conditions. Speaking after this year's incident, Smith said he had been on alert for stray animals, but just never expected an issue with a goat. 'I probably expected more of a wild dog, but I guess there's a lot more goats down here,' he said, per Reuters. 'Albania's been great and it's beautiful down the south here. They've done really well and I've enjoyed it. It's been a different experience, just watch out for the goats!'
CNN
12-05-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Runaway goat attempts to ram cyclist off bike in freak incident during Giro d'Italia
New Zealand cyclist Dion Smith got quite the scare during the third stage of this year's Giro d'Italia, after almost being knocked off his bike by a runaway goat on Sunday. The bizarre incident occurred during the 160km stage of the prestigious race, which started and finished in the Albanian town of Vlorë, as the peloton was on its fast descent down a hill. Smith, who rides for the Intermarche–Wanty team, said he had spotted a small herd of goats by the side of the road and moved to the right-hand side to avoid any potential collision. Unfortunately for him, one of the goats decided to dart across the road, right into the cyclist's path. Perhaps anticipating the collision, video footage showed the goat leaping into the air and brushing Smith's leg and back wheel. The rider was pushed onto the grass verge as a result, but managed to stay on his bike and rejoin the road shortly after. Meanwhile, the goat appeared unharmed and trotted away. 'I didn't have too much time to think. I could see it 10 seconds before, the policeman was trying to keep them all in, and then one or two started coming across,' Smith said, adding that he still loves animals. 'I mean, what can I say? I didn't know which way I was going to go, and everyone else went left. I chose right, but in the end, it was fine.' It's certainly not the first time a wild animal has caused chaos during the Giro d'Italia. In 2023, a dog caused a pileup after running onto the road, forcing several cyclists to slam on the brakes in rainy conditions. Speaking after this year's incident, Smith said he had been on alert for stray animals, but just never expected an issue with a goat. 'I probably expected more of a wild dog, but I guess there's a lot more goats down here,' he said, per Reuters. 'Albania's been great and it's beautiful down the south here. They've done really well and I've enjoyed it. It's been a different experience, just watch out for the goats!'
