Billy is a 3-4 yr old male goat who was found wandering along a road in Bay of Islands area dragging a rope. He was in poor condition with an injury to his right hind leg. It looked like an old traumatic amputation to his leg above hock, possibly caused by a wire wrap injury. His leg has tried to regrow a hoof from the dew pads, but this means that Billy cannot put weight on it as it is too painful (in effect it would be like walking on your nose as it is only cartilage and soft tissue). He has muscle wasting in his leg and the leg is shorter by 2-3 inches. He was transferred to the Whangarei SPCA as our Manager, Francine Shields has a special interest in rehabilitating mistreated/injured goats.
The big problem with goats is that people think they are suitable to be tied on the roadside, whereas in fact goats need more care than most sheep. They need protection from the wind & rain as their coats are not waterproof like a sheep, they are fussy eaters & need water every day despite popular belief that they will eat everything and don't drink. They are very susceptible to worm infestations and disease.
Many goats are found starving, dehydrated, with very poor hoof care or with untreated injuries/illnesses. Some have been beaten. Francine has converted her lifestyle block to accomodate goat welfare cases and has a passion for rehabilitating them if possible. They are highly intelligent animals with individual personalities and are very trainable. Many of her previous rescue goats have been rehomed to approved home, those that require ongoing care stay with Francine as long as is necessary. The majority of the costs for this goat treatment/rehabilitation is funded by Francine.
Billy is another example of an animal's indeterminable spirit to survive. The only options with him are to euthanase or amputate his leg. As his leg is non-functioning and he is little he should adapt perfectly well to life with 3 legs. This operation costs approximately $800-$1000. Why do it? A human chose to have, castrate him and keep him in circumstances that likely caused injury. They then left him to live in pain and discomfort. He deserves to live the remainder of his life without pain. He's very friendly and well trained and would be good as an educational example to children as to why it is important to look after our animals. Any donations towards Billy's costs would be very welcome. You can call us at the centre on (09)4389161 or email us at whangareispca@clear.net.nz for details of how to donate.
We will keep this blog updated with Billy's progress.
