FOUR goats have moved in at the Bathurst Small Animal Pound.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While the pound is usually a temporary home for animals that have been found or surrendered, these goats are here to stay.
Bathurst Regional Council's team leader - regulatory services, Mark Fenlon, said they were acquired as a way to keep the grass short in the three paddocks at the pound, which will save on mowing duties.
"Traditionally there has always been some stock here, but that stock moved on," he said.
"We had three paddocks and plenty of rain, the grass was getting taller, and we thought we needed a good, sustainable, ecological response.
"These guys, hopefully, they will become more people-friendly and they'll be fixtures. We don't plan to get rid of them or sell them off for meat or anything like that; as long as they keep eating, they are doing their job."
The community was given the opportunity to help name the goats, with council posting a list of options on social media.
Ultimately, they were called Sprout, Huckleberry, Finn and Ozzy.
The goats are still adjusting to their new home and the rangers that are there to care for them.
Mr Fenlon is hopeful that they will soon settle in and get to the point where rangers can hand feed them.
Work is occurring in the background to develop a new pound facility in Hampden Park Road, which will be state-of-the-art and have a greater capacity.
The goats will be relocated there once the facility is operational.
"They'll be part of the furniture at the new facility," Mr Fenlon said.
