Dozens of goats — and an emu named Jerry — need new homes, Massachusetts officials say

Dozens upon dozens of goats — and one emu named Jerry — are in need of a new home, animal advocates in Massachusetts said.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at Nevins Farm said in an Aug. 11 news release that more than 100 goats need a new place to live after they were seized from a property in Dighton, about 45 miles south of Boston.

Authorities also found a mustang and the emu. The mustang was transferred to an animal welfare organization in Maine, the agency said. The animals’ previous owner is “the subject of an ongoing law enforcement case,” according to the release.

“The sheer number of animals [in this case] and significance of their medical needs have stretched all of our space and staff resources to the max, but those challenges are worth it knowing that we are able to find them new loving homes,” Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA-Angell, said in the release.

Now, Jerry and the goats are looking for new homes. Twenty-nine of the goats are “adorable” babies that were born over the last several months, as 12 goats were pregnant when authorities seized the animals, according to the release.

Two of the goats tested positive for caprine arthritis encephalitis, and two tested positive for Johne’s disease, conditions that are “relatively common” to the animals, the organization said. Because of this, authorities assume that all of the goats have been exposed to the two diseases and intend to place the adopted goats in homes where they’re the only ones who may have the diseases on the property.

“Moreover, the goats must be adopted to homes in Massachusetts,” Keiley said in the release.

Jerry the emu is known as an “entertaining character on the farm,” and officials are looking for a home where he’ll have animal companions.

He’s already lived with goats in the past and “seems to really love them,” said Rachel Diersen, the assistant manager of equine and farm animals at the MSPCA at Nevins Farm.

Anyone interested in adopting one of the goats can contact the organization at mspca.org/goats. Anyone interested in adopting Jerry can apply at mspca.org/nevinsadopt.

This story was originally published August 12, 2022 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Dozens of goats — and an emu named Jerry — need new homes, Massachusetts officials say."