Rescue Journal

summer

Carol  ·  Aug. 2, 2013

i have to wonder what is up with that goats head? her teats are enlarged from a chronic long term mastitis. she was obviously a milking goat so would have been handled by humans at least once or twice a day.
so why is she so poorly socialized to people?

we have had other goats who weren't too keen to be touched...edith in the beginning and doc is still sort of like that. but they have (had) a natural curiousity towards us AND they always came around if there was the slightest chance of some food.

not summer, she wants absolutely nothing to do with us and stays as far away from us as she can.

i plan to respect her need for space and not push ourselves on her...A. i don't want her feeling overwhelmed and freak out over the fence, and B. i figure whatever happened in her previous life gave her good reason not to trust us.

so...
if i believe she has a good reason and the right to feel as she does. then that means i respect her real and obvious need to keep her distance. i hope in time as she watches and learns that she comes to the conclusion that we are no threat.

i am very happy that she has stayed here and not gone over the fence. her willingness to accept being here, gives us a chance.

summer doesn't need to ever worry that we will bug her or try to force her to like and trust us. she is no longer a milk producing slave, she is no longer any kind of slave.

she is a free goat and can make her own choice in how she decides she wants to live.

Comments

janet nicholson

Heartbreaking to think of what humans must have done to that poor little goat before she was rescued.