Goat Living in the Woods for Months Finally Rescued

Meet Edna: The Goat in the Woods
​Life at Life With Pigs Farm Animal Sanctuary is never short on surprises - and our newest rescue story is one for the books.

It all began when the sanctuary received a call from someone out on a hiking trail. For the past couple of months, they had noticed a goat wandering the woods. On this particular day, the goat began bleating at them, as if asking for help.

The goat was spotted near a bridge several miles down the trail, wearing a collar with cords attached - frayed and chewed, as though once tied but now broken free.
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That Friday evening, Ryan headed out to the park about 45 minutes away, joined by one of the sanctuary’s brand-new volunteers. The volunteer had planned to spend the evening training at the sanctuary, but without hesitation, she shifted gears to join the search.

One of the sanctuary’s close friends and board members, who has a soft spot for rescuing male goats, was also on standby to help. Seeing the goat’s horns and beard, everyone assumed this must be another boy in need, and it was decided the goat would join her herd once rescued.
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Ryan and the volunteer searched the trails and eventually spotted the goat - but the poor thing was frightened and bolted before they could get close. With darkness falling, they returned home, determined to try again the next day.

A Weekend of Surprises
The next morning, Ryan returned to the park, this time with Mallory and Malita, their board member, along for backup. They came armed with treats and determination. Mid-morning, the group set out along the trail, scanning for any sign of the elusive goat.

While Ryan searched through the woods, Mallory and Malita did some reconnaissance and discovered a promising clue: a fallen log covered in goat droppings. Clearly this was home base. With no sign of the goat, they left a bowl of food nearby in hopes of luring them back, and the group hiked out for the day.

This particular weekend also happened to be Richmond Veg Fest - and it was supposed to be the year the sanctuary team would finally be organized. The plan was to have everything packed by Saturday, enjoy a calm morning on Sunday, and arrive at the festival stress-free.

That didn’t quite happen.

Saturday evening, Ryan headed back out to the park for one more attempt. This time, luck was on his side. He spotted the goat and after some time and treats, managed to get close enough to clip a six-foot cow lead onto the collar. Victory seemed within reach!

But goats are nothing if not clever. With one quick move, the goat spooked, darted over the log, and slipped right out of Ryan’s grasp - lead still attached. As the last light of day disappeared, Ryan realized two things: the goat was now running through the woods with a long lead trailing behind, and he didn’t have a flashlight.

To make matters worse, the park was already closed. Ryan did his best to follow but soon found himself disoriented on the trail. After a few wrong turns, he finally stumbled out of the woods… where the police were waiting in the parking lot.

Adding to the comedy of the situation, Ryan had borrowed Malita’s vehicle rather than his own. Now he had to convince the officers that he wasn’t up to something suspicious, but was, in fact, just trying to rescue a runaway goat. Thankfully, a park employee was present and confirmed the goat’s story, and Ryan explained that he works with Life With Pigs Farm Animal Sanctuary. The officers turned out to be kind and supportive - they thanked him for trying to help and sent him on his way.

Meanwhile, back at home, Mallory was juggling animal care and last-minute Veg Fest packing, now well aware that Sunday morning was going to be anything but stress-free.

The Goat with a Kick
On the morning of Veg Fest, Ryan and Mallory weighed their options. With the goat still running loose, now dragging a long lead, there was a real risk of them getting tangled, trapped, or unable to reach food and water. Coyotes were another very real concern. The decision was made for Ryan to head back to the park first thing, while Mallory stayed behind to manage all the morning chores, handle medical cases, and finish packing for the festival on her own.

Ryan returned to the trail and, after some circling and searching, finally spotted the goat again. This time, he managed to grab the lead. Victory! With Veg Fest looming and adrenaline high, Ryan started the long trek back out of the woods.

There was just one problem: the goat had no intention of walking politely beside him. At barely 60 pounds, the goat was small enough to carry - so Ryan scooped them into his arms and began hiking several miles down the trail.

He even called Mallory mid-carry to share the good news. To which she responded, “Great, good job! Now get off the phone and carry that goat!” But the rescue wasn’t over yet.

As Ryan strode down the trail, proud and relieved, the goat suddenly lashed out with a powerful kick, catching him square in the face. Ryan stumbled, lost his footing, and went down hard, the wind knocked out of him. In the scramble, the goat slipped free, the lead sliding through Ryan’s fingertips in the blink of an eye.

Deflated, bruised, and out of time, Ryan hiked back empty-handed. He arrived home later than expected, and he and Mallory packed up for Veg Fest, knowing at least one thing for sure: the goat hadn’t been trapped by the lead and was still free to move.

After a long day at the festival, they returned home exhausted. Still worried about the goat, Ryan promised to head back to the park first thing in the morning.

Finally, Edna
By Monday morning, Ryan was determined to end the saga once and for all. This time, he brought a heavy-duty wheeled cart, designed to prevent any more goat-related face kicks.

Sure enough, he soon spotted the goat again. This time, they had managed to get the lead tangled on a log. Ryan’s relief was twofold: not only was the goat safe despite being stuck, but the lead was finally within easy reach. With a sigh of victory, he scooped the goat up and placed them in the cart, securing it tightly so there would be no daring escapes.

At that point, the goat seemed to give in, lowering their head in quiet resignation. Ryan wheeled the cart down the trail, the only signs of its passenger being two horns poking out the top. Taking no chances, he loaded the entire cart, goat and all, straight into the cab of the truck and headed home.

The plan was to quarantine the goat at the sanctuary and then transfer him to Malita’s herd of rescued boys, since all signs pointed to “male.” But once safely in the quarantine barn, a closer look revealed the truth. This goat was no “he” at all: she was a she.

She was given the name Edna.

The next step was to see whether Edna would fit in at the sanctuary. Huckleberry, the sanctuary’s endlessly social sheep, might just become the friend she needed. But if Edna couldn’t find the companionship she needed among sheep, they  would explore moving her to Malita’s, to see how she would do as the only female amongst a group of boys.  

The veterinarian came out the very next morning, performing a thorough exam and running lots of tests. She noted Edna is at least five years old, underweight, and very fearful of humans. The oversized collar she arrived with confirmed she has lost a significant amount of weight in her time alone.
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For now, Edna is resting in quarantine, regaining her strength and slowly learning to trust. With patience, care, and the steady reassurance of her new sanctuary family, there is hope that this brave goat who survived terrible treatment at the hands of humans, followed by months in the wild, will soon discover that she is finally, truly safe.