Three pygmy goats neglected, found in van North Charleston, SC (US) Incident Date: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 County: Charleston Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: Roberto

Case ID: 8866 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: goat View more cases in SC (US) Login to Watch this Case

Three pygmy goats have been spared a future as dinner items after a judge placed them in the care of Charleston County authorities.

The goats, seized from a North Charleston mobile home park, likely will enjoy a bucolic life on an area farm, said Kay Hyman of the John Ancrum Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The SPCA, which has been caring for the animals, has gotten several calls from landowners interested in adopting the creatures, she said.

"We have about 10 names of people with small farms and property who want to take these goats in as pets," Hyman said. "So we're very happy about the ending to this story."

The goats' owner did not show for a court hearing at which Magistrate David Coker awarded custody to the county, Hyman said.

Sheriff's Capt. John Clark said deputies have been unable to find the owner, a man known to them only as "Roberto." The man, who appeared to be keeping the animals as a food source, is expected to face three counts of animal cruelty.

A concerned citizen alerted the Sheriff's Office last week that the goats were being held in an unventilated van at the Carter Road Trailer Court in unincorporated North Charleston. Deputies found the goats inside the ammonia-soaked van in which temperatures hovered around 130 degrees, according to an incident report.

The goats had nothing to eat but a few crumbs of stale bread and a splash of water in a pail. They had reportedly been inside the van since May 21, deputies said.

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