"Felon" the goat is escorted to the police cruiser by a pair of officers Saturday, June 23, 2018 in Vernon.
Image Credit: Laura Mcintyre
June 25, 2018 - 6:30 PM
VERNON - Police apprehend all kinds of interesting characters, but this weekend in Vernon, they loaded an unusual suspect into the back of their cruiser: a runaway goat.
Officers were alerted to the “mysterious wandering goat” on Saturday, June 23, RCMP spokesperson Const. Kelly Brett says. According to witness Laura Mcintyre who stopped to help others already at the scene, the goat was attempting to head butt pedestrians in a residential neighbourhood in the area of Alexis Park Drive and 35 Avenue. Bystanders kept the goat out of traffic and phoned the authorities.
On police arrival, the feisty black and white goat was relatively cooperative with RCMP, Brett says.
Image Credit: Laura Mcintyre
“Two (officers) were able to wrangle this goat,” she says. “From what I understand, they were able to speak softly to the goat and coerce it into the vehicle without any harm.”
The goat was mostly well behaved while in custody, despite peeing in the backseat of the police car — “nothing that wasn’t cleanable” Brett says.
The officers brought the goat — which they named and marked down in their official report as "Prince Balthazar Funjoolio Chancellor of Alexis Park” — to the Historic O’Keefe Ranch, just outside of Vernon.
Resident animal whisperer Tambria Shortt was there to greet police and says she’s never seen anything quite like she did that day.
“Out he came, in a police car, behind bars,” Shortt says of the goat, who she nicknamed ‘Felon.’ “He was actually pretty mellow, pretty much sitting down and looking through the bars of the backseat.”
Shortt escorted her new charge to a grassy pen where the ranch’s miniature goats (used in the “goat yoga” classes) reside. According to Shortt, Felon is a Lamancha goat — which don’t have ears — and is in good health.
“Somebody has got to be missing him,” she says. “He’s been well looked after.”
However, no one has called to claim him yet and he’s certainly been getting lots of attention and publicity on social media.
According to Const. Brett, officers still have no idea how he found himself downtown Vernon.
“We don’t know if it was a prank or a personal joke or if somebody’s goat did legitimately escape and that person maybe just isn’t coming forward, just out of fear of, you know, being reprimanded for not taking care of their goat properly,” she says.
Whatever the case, the ranch and the police hope Felon finds his way back home. Wherever he came from, and wherever he’s going next, he certainly left his mark.
“I’m sure it was a good, fun thing the officers will remember for a long time,” Brett says. “We deal with so many things on a daily basis of such a serious nature, it’s always nice to be able to come off shift or come back to the detachment with the other officers and have a laugh.”
While animal control is not in the RCMP's mandate, Brett says they are happy to assist when they can.
"We are compassionate people, we want to help," she says.
If the goat belongs to you, call the Historic O'Keefe Ranch at 250-542-7868. The ranch’s marketing manager Kerry MacLeod says they will keep Felon until his owner comes forward or a good home is found. For now, he’s happily grazing with the other goats.
“Hopefully his parents will find him,” she says. “I’ll be happy to see him back where he belongs… (but) we do get really attached.”
— This story was updated at 9:06 a.m. June 26, 2018 to reflect that multiple bystanders assisted the goat.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2018