Goat Saved in Baltimore : Happy Ending Story Harbor Tech

Wednesday, August 10th, my husband received a call from me, "Dinner is going to be late, I am chasing a goat." I hung up before having time to explain.

Not only did I see a goat outside of the Pulaski Route 40 corridor (headed towards Erdman Avenue) but I then decided it best to chase him "her" out of harm's way with thousands of city onlookers wondering exactly what was going on. During rush hour.  This is where the animal lover in me just kicks in and screws me. I mean here I am, running around the city chasing a goat through four lanes of traffic at rush hour. Did I mention I was on Route 40? I must have had a death wish.

He "She" appeared to be nibbling on some grass under an abandoned van outside of Frankford Towing, whom I called numerous times to ask if the goat (that was running wild outside of their lot) was theirs. Needless to say the lady on the phone thought I was crazy or on drugs. She got really sh***y with me.  I guess I got her goat. I suppose that's why she kept hanging up on me. Whatever!

I fell right in love with her.

So after running in and out of oncoming cars, I managed to chase the goat (who was earlier in the day found on Quad Avenue according to Animal Control) to prevent her from running back into Route 40 by forcing her into the lot of Harbor Tech, a ship repair company located at 825 N. North Point Road right between Route 40 and Erdman Avenue. My goal was to get her in a fenced in lot.

I chased the goat back here at Harbor Tech.

I then proceeded to call the owner of Harbor Tech, Mike Ortt, (thank goodness the number was on the building) and explain that I was in the back of his lot, with a goat trapped in his yard.  (I didn't want to get shot or anything...I was in Baltimore City!) Mike and one employee just happened to be hanging around after work, and unlike the rudeasses at Frankford Towing, came immediately around to the back of the building to see, in wonder, the little lost billy goat. I think they were in shock for a minute. I heard him call his wife and say , "Hon, I'm going to be late some lady just ran in here chasing a goat."

I mean how can you not think she's cute?

Having never met these people before the common mission immediately was to save the goat. After an hour of chasing him with blankets and all our might, the little goat kept outrunning us, apparently scared and missing from it's owner. It wore a bright blue collar which indicated to us, it was someone's pet. It would not respond to dog calls and surely was scared of whatever events transpired earlier that day.  The goat continued to sneak under Mike's truck, sitting ever so patiently but just out of our reach.  Oddly, it even did a walk on it's joints and elbows which I've never seen a goat do before. I have to say the damn goat ran pretty fast and three of us could not catch it.

After about two hours, sweating our asses off and the goat apparently not tired, we had no other choice but to call Animal Control of Baltimore City. We all really didn't want to do this, because we didn't want the goat to get put down.  At first even calling them Mike was given quite the runaround thinking we were county as the property is on the city-county line.  Finally, a nice man from Animal Control came and chased the goat....into the hands of Mike who snatched the goat's collar and Animal Control was then able to harness her. I'll be damn.  Mike then picked up the goat and put her in the Animal Control truck.  I do believe Mike and the goat had a moment--the goat became calm and thankful finally that it was off the streets. That's when we discovered the "he" was a "she."

Animal Control promised they would get BARCS involved.  She was a bit dirty after crawling around a ship building lot and under greasy vehicles, but none the less safe from the harm of a four lane bustling highway at dinner time. I was worried this would impact her adopt-ability.  But, thanks to total strangers and the love of animals, we will have this story to tell for years. I checked with BARCS and YES THANK THE GOAT GODS one of their vets gave her a good home on her farm. If it wasn't for my Smartphone my husband just may not have believed this story, a goat running wild in the City.  Finally, something with a happy ending. ♥