Neighbour and goat AIBU?

[Reggit99]

Help please! AIBU?????

We have neighbours who are perfectly fine normally. They moved here before covid so early 2020 I met them a few times then, all seemed fine. They were nice to my husband, they incited us for coffee but we Haven’t been because of covid.

About six months ago, they appeared to purchase a goat. At least we assume they did as it suddenly appeared in their garden. After a shot while, they obviously got another as there were two. They seem to be kept in the back garden, no pen or anything, they just roam the garden.

This hasn’t been a big problem until now. We are being woken up often before 7am by the noose these animals make, additionally the neighbours garden is becoming a mess. We are potentially thinking about the possibility of moving and we do not want there to be any issues, I think this would put off perspective buyers.

We haven’t approached the neighbours yet, because we haven’t seen them for a while and they refused to join the street whatsapp. I want them to get rid of these goats but I’m really not sure what to do!

Ah, this thread has made me happy. Half of it outraged by the mere idea of a goat in a garden, and half of it sharing goat stories and dreaming of ear scritches.

Sorry the neighbour goats aren’t making you happy, OP.

Surely Margot would run the fucking thing - issuing diktats to the neighbourhood about acceptable mowing schedules for front lawns and the like.

And Dolly Mountshaft would not be allowed to join!!

“There are rules! There has to be a minimum amount of space and they need a shelter/shed/barn, again with a minimum area”

Bloody nanny state.....

@ImsorryWilson

“There are rules! There has to be a minimum amount of space and they need a shelter/shed/barn, again with a minimum area”

Bloody nanny state.....

🤣🤣🤣

I would be so pleased if my neighbours had goats. They did have chickens and cockerels once, and they were fab.

To be fair, I have done my share of goat sniffing in the past and it wouldn't bother me. People in the village keep just about every type of livestock you can think of, and Facebook always has posts from people who find escaped animals in their gardens. It's a fun place to live.

bloody nanny state 😂😂😂

To be fair, I have done my share of goat sniffing in the past

And you didn't go to prison?? 🤷‍♂️

They could be from an animal rescue centre

If you ask them conversationally something along the lines of "I've always wondered how people find out about potential outbreaks, you know, like with Foot and Mouth. Is there something you have to do or do you just keep an eye on the news?" If they tell you DEFRA would contact them, they're probably registered. If they don't know, you know they're not.

But if they then get a checkup by DEFRA they'll know you made the tip-off, OP...

6-7 am isn't really that early though.

Damn - someone's already said it gets their goat. Anyway I'm just coming on to say FFS ring the council in the morning, then cancel the cheque.

whowantstoknow I want to know if goat sniffing is a competitive sport in your village?😂

@PhilCornwall1

To be fair, I have done my share of goat sniffing in the past

And you didn't go to prison?? 🤷‍♂️

It's if you get your wellies out the sheep and goats get nervous.

@EvilPea

I fucking love goats And sheep. I’d be more inclined to move into your house.

Doesn’t help your noise issue which honestly is only going to get worse as mornings get lighter earlier.
Your going to have to talk to them

Your first line sounds so so wrong......

The only person I know who has a street WhatsApp group is DSIL.
Are you in Dorchester OP?

To keep goats you need a CPH number, you just phone up for one, a flock number ditto and to fill out a survey once a year. You can legally slaughter livestock for your own consumption.
I've kept a goat before, it was sort of a rescue, it was more work than a pony. I did have other livestock to keep it company but wouldn't have another.

@redcandlelight

are you in the countryside or a village/town? renting/owning?

check your and your neighours deeds wrt keeping lifestock.
check information on your council's website wrt keeping life stock on residential properties.

This - most domestic gardens have restrictions on the types of livestock you can keep, so eg a rabbit for the kids is ok, a herd of donkeys isn't.

Also, if they have no shelter there may be an animal welfare issue here, too. Goats are hardy, but many popular breeds eg Nubians need warmer conditions than we have in the UK in winter, so they may be suffering.

How big is the garden and are they properly fenced in? Goats are incredibly agile and can leap or eat their way through most hedges. They also need a lot of space, so unless it is a massive garden, it won't be kind to them at all.

If they have two it is possible that they are hoping to get milk from them. If one is a billy it will STINK when it reaches maturity. Really STINK - they pee on their own beards as a warning to other male goats. Even if they are both nannies they will be having a kid each year if they are to produce milk.

@ImsorryWilson

“There are rules! There has to be a minimum amount of space and they need a shelter/shed/barn, again with a minimum area”

Bloody nanny state.....

My best friend in Bristol has a street Whatsapp. Run by a very passive aggressive man.

Get a six foot fence built. Presumably kept in the back so any potential house viewers won’t notice the messy garden. Not sure anyone is going to make them get rid of the goats tbh. Personally I don’t think it would bother me as I prefer the sound of animals than the revving of car and bike engines in a morning.

@ProfYaffle

"Would Margot and Jerry participate in the street WhatsApp though? I'm not convinced."

Surely Margot would run the fucking thing - issuing diktats to the neighbourhood about acceptable mowing schedules for front lawns and the like.

Only if she started it. If someone else got there first she would reject it as terribly common I think.

OMG what are the neighbours saying about me cos we have refused to join the street whats app group.

I've not got a goat, but I am now wondering what things we have done which may be considered to have brought the neighbourhood down!

they pee on their own beards as a warning to other male goats.

SirVixofVixHall
Are these street groups more or less passive aggressive than local Facebook groups.

My local one has a few (insert insult of choice here) who like to take photos of people not evidently breaking the law and complaining.

That sounds like a crap life for the goats. So consider complaining an animal welfare issue and hopefully those goats might end up in a field somewhere grazing and walking as they are designed to do.

Lola i think worse. We have a nice village facebook, but the street Whatsapp is all about reaching out and being kind, from the man who goes nuclear if someone parks in his place..