Goat Who Liked “Picking Fights” With Parked Cars Finds a New Home
One Ohio goat can finally put his alleged life of vandalism behind him.
Cardio became a local celebrity on Aug. 13, when Dayton Police responded to the Forest Ridge area after ongoing complaints about a loose goat damaging parked vehicles. Officers eventually captured him and took him to the Humane Society of Greater Dayton for a health evaluation
The Humane Society later gave its new resident a name and a backstory worthy of it. In a Facebook adoption post, the organization described the roughly 1-year-old Cardio as the “Dayton Goat” who had been “roaming Dayton and picking fights with parked cars.”
His real opponent, however, was considerably closer than he realized.
Cardio Was Apparently Fighting An Unexpected Opponent
The Humane Society said Cardio kept delivering aggressive boops to vehicles because he could see another goat staring back at him in the reflective surfaces. Sure enough, that rival was his very own reflection. Since the dawn of time, a goat’s struggle has always been with himself or herself, when you think about it.
Headbutting itself is perfectly normal goat behavior. Alabama Cooperative Extension notes that goats use headbutting as part of their body language when establishing dominance. They are also described as social herd animals that generally thrive with companions. That made Cardio’s next assignment considerably more suitable than a Dayton neighborhood.
The Humane Society sought an appropriate goat home, preferably with animal companions and patient people; plus, as the organization put it, his new home should be “a reasonable distance from parked cars.” Cardio was also neutered and vaccinated before being made available for adoption.
His Search Did Not Take Long
Cardio was listed for adoption Sept. 17. Less than 24 hours later, he had a home.
The Humane Society announced his adoption on Facebook, and WHIO reported that Cardio is headed to Delilah’s Place, a sanctuary where he can settle into farm life.
After a month that involved complaints, a not-so-high-speed police chase, and an unfortunate rivalry with his own reflection, Cardio finally has somewhere to more appropriately channel all that headbutting energy.
