Are my neighbour's goats mistreated - should I intervene?

[A Swede in France]

Hi goaty people, I would love your advice!

I have never had goats so I don't know what's acceptable, but I think my neighbour is mistreating his animals. Basically, stakes them out using a central stake, in the middle of exposed fields, without any shelter from sun, baking heat (it gets up to 40 degreec C here) rain, snow or wind, and leaves them there for weeks, alone except for filling their water. I find it upsetting and heartbreaking and have been thinking about intervening for a year now. This morning I walked by and was even more provoked. We had heavy rain and winds for 3 days followed by a freezing night, and the poor goat, a billie, is still there. I find this completely unacceptable and would never treat an animal like this - but I am a foreigner living in a small rural village and the guy is an older man from an old family. I know we have different values and approaches, so I wanted a reality check. Is what he's doing normal goat practice? I cannot imagine that this is ok for the goats, but maybe I am clueless as to their needs and preferences? I also live in a country where animal protection services for farm animals apparently can only act to enforce rules for animals in production, not for those kept for self sufficiency or as a hobby or pets.

So - what would you do? How bad is this? Do these goats need me to intervene? What do the goats need in terms of care?

Super thankful for your advice!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Are you on friendly terms with that neighbor?
Can you approach him and in an incredibly kind way offer to help build goat shelters? That is IF you are willing and able to assist.

Just thinking since he is elderly perhaps he could use/would be willing to accept a helping hand.

 

[A Swede in France]

Are you on friendly terms with that neighbor?
Can you approach him and in an incredibly kind way offer to help build goat shelters? That is IF you are willing and able to assist.

Just thinking since he is elderly perhaps he could use/would be willing to accept a helping hand.

Medium... village dynamics, he's famously grumpy. I am afraid he would take offense, but maybe if we are really skillful we can present it as help. He's right at the age where you'd need to start accepting help but maybe don't want to yet, if that makes sense. But - since he's done this for decades (according to other neighbours) I know it's not from lack of capacity.

But the goats should have shelter, right?

 

[A Swede in France]

I am definitely willing to help - I am even considering adopting them

 

[21hens-incharge]

Maybe approach him (if that is the course you choose) with an opening like....

"Hello. I am (insert name here). I live down the way. I know you keep goats. I am thinking about getting a few. Can you help me learn about them?"

That may break the ice in a kind way.

I am old too....and prone to refusing help. Maybe bring him some delicious baked cookies or something.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

But the goats should have shelter, right?

Goats absolutely hate getting wet. Even a slight mist will send mine running inside. They probably can survive without shelter, but it definitely isn't ideal, or comfortable for the goat.

Perhaps he has no where for that goat to go? Bucks can sometimes be aggressive, and are definitely very smelly. He may have his reasons for tethering him out like he does. I might ask first, and see what he says about it.

 

[A Swede in France]

Thanks both of you!

My partner and his aunt who knows him better and also lives in the village went to speak with him last night. He basically said the goats are used to it since they lived like that for years. But he also said he hurt his hand and can't build anything, and that nobody wants to take the goats off his hands. So I think the next step really is something like what you've suggested, that we find a way to a) get to know more about the goats (temperament, sex, how many he actually has), and b) figure out how to help him care for them, which could mean building shelters, joining in the daily care, finding a better place for them, or adopting them.

 

[Callender Girl]

Thank you for caring about these goats and taking some action to improve their lives. Please let us know how this situation progresses.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thanks both of you!

My partner and his aunt who knows him better and also lives in the village went to speak with him last night. He basically said the goats are used to it since they lived like that for years. But he also said he hurt his hand and can't build anything, and that nobody wants to take the goats off his hands. So I think the next step really is something like what you've suggested, that we find a way to a) get to know more about the goats (temperament, sex, how many he actually has), and b) figure out how to help him care for them, which could mean building shelters, joining in the daily care, finding a better place for them, or adopting them.

How wonderful that the intervention had a reasonable response.
Maybe you could gently improve things starting with a shelter and feeding.
That way you could get to know them and adopt them later rather than rushing to that.
Make the shelter easy to dismantle and move to your place when that time comes!

 

[A Swede in France]

Little update - the goats now live in a walnut grove and have a small hut for shelter .

I hope the neighbour doesn't hate us for talking to him (I have not had a chat with him since then and worry a bit that he feels shamed or offended).