Greg Krauter with his goats, Lexus, Miata, Opel and Nova.
(BAILEY ZIMMER / iNFOnews.ca)
January 18, 2025 - 6:00 AM
Greg Krauter, and his small herd of goats, took a stroll down Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna Wednesday putting smiles on people's faces which is the whole point.
He visits different cities and towns in the Okanagan with his goats, or his lawn mowers as he calls them, in an effort to raise spirits.
“Anytime I see him out, there's always a crowd of people around him talking about them,” Kelowna resident Chelsea Pihach told iNFOnews.ca. “You can see people taking out their phones, taking photos and videos... who wouldn't be happy seeing a bunch of really gentle, kind goats on the downtown streets."
Krauter first started taking his goats on walks downtown in 2022 after he realized how much of a positive impact they have on people.
While goats walking off leash in an area of hustle and bustle may seem out of the ordinary, it's completely normal for Krauter.
Reporter Bailey Zimmer walked around Kelowna with famous goat man Greg Krauter.
The Summerland man said people will tell him they were having a bad day until they saw his herd of goats.
“It makes people's day... I couldn’t believe that high a number (of people) were struggling that bad, that these girls could do that much for them,” Krauter said.
His four miniature fainting goats — Lexus, Miata, Nova and Opel — enjoy the attention and have become local celebrities.
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From business people and construction workers to young children, everyone seems happy to see his herd. Even people working inside buildings they pass look out through windows, stop what they're doing and smile as the goats pass by.
“I was excited, I thought it was priceless,” Joe Loucks said after a visit with goats. “I definitely think it's a beautiful thing to raise up the spirits of people around. Everyone got excited, people were even trying to pet them in the middle of the street."
Krauter brings extra treats for people to feed to his goats and take a picture with his "photo queens".
The goats never stray far from his side and he cleans up dropping left behind with a broom.
The street noise doesn't bother the small herd as they wait patiently at the crosswalk until the walking sign flashes. They even quicken their pace crossing when Krauter tells them to hurry up.
“It feels great to see something alive and friendly and non-human on the streets, it's perfect. A lot of people pack their dogs along, but this is just more fun,” passerby Harold Simmerling said.
Krauter said Lexus and Miata are expecting kids in May so the herd will be a bit larger when he brings it back downtown this summer to lighten people's moods.
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