Jackson the Goat

This is the story of our pet goat named Jackson. I bought him from a family that was moving, and they couldn’t take him with them. They had named him Spike, and it had been his job to protect their free-range chickens from predators like coyote, eagles, and hawks. When we brought him to our little 3 acre farmstead, he felt right at home with my 12 hens. They have all become the best of friends. As soon he arrived and was exploring the lush green pasture, my precocious 4 year old grand-daughter Caitlin, immediately announced that his name should be Jackson, and so it was.

Since his arrival, Jackson has become our beloved pet. This is the first time in my life that I have not owned a dog or a cat, and Jackson sort of fills in that void. He has personality and moods just like a dog, and he likes to play, and go on walks with his leash. Sometimes I wrestle with him in the grass just like I used to wrestle with my dog. I have come to love that silly goat, and I know that he loves me. Every evening, I lock him up in a sheltered corral, mainly to keep him safe from predators. I don’t think that the coyote would mess with him, but neighbors tell stories that make me worry, so why take a chance? In addition to that, there have been mountain lion and bear sightings just a few miles from here.

This is my first goat, and I find him easy to care for. That is, except for the time he got into the rhododendron, which is highly toxic to animals. What a nightmare! He came so close to dying. I had to force activated charcoal pills down his throat every hour for 36 hours. I think we bonded through that experience. He saw that I wasn’t going to give up on him and that I would stay with him no matter what. I guess you could say that he is my friend now, and I’m not embarrassed to say that I sure like that little guy.