The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: draffan_farm on July 23, 2012, 01:38:44 pm
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Hi,
We've recently rescued two female Angora goats :goat: :goat: whose previous owner had to get rid of them for personal reasons. A friend of hers took on the task of rehoming the goats, and advertised them on the internet asking for potential suitable new homes.
We volunteered to take them, but when they got here we found out that there was absolutely NO documentation with them whatsoever (No previous holding number, no eartags, no movement docs etc). We have been looking for goats for a while and went by the book - got a holding number and herd number, and so were prepared to do any transfers by the book as well. But as we have no history or documentation on these two, we now have two goats that we can't register properly.
We thought we'd ask here first because we fear what the likes of DEFRA may say on the matter, and hope that people on here will have some experience in this and may be able to offer advice.
Does anyone know the best way to deal with this situation without ending up with us paying fines, or risking that DEFRA may insist on destroying the goats??!
Thanks in advance.
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Oh dear, what a nightmare :-\
Me personally, I would contact Animal Health at the local trading standards, tell them exactly what position you have found yourself in and ask their advice. We had a similar situation with some sheep and they were incredibly helpful.
I'm assuming that the person who has acted to rehome the goats will have details of the original owner? the comeback from this should land on their shoulders.
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Animal Health are extremely helpful (or so I have found). I am sure they will be more than happy that at last now the goats will be properly registered with them, and will do all they can to help you. Seeing as previous owner may well not have had a holding number or herd number, it will be probable you will have to ear tag the goats with your own herd number.
In the past I have rescued a number of goats, but refused to move the goats until ear tags were provided, and movement forms filled in with their holding number. Its amazing how many goats (and likely other animals) move around with no paperwork or tags!!
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Thanks very much for your replies, guys. We do intend to get the details of the original owners from the 'intermediary' party who rehomed the goats, but we are still waiting to hear from them. As you said, it is possible the goats were never registered properly, but we hope to find this out in due course.
We'll get in touch with Animal Health tomorrow and will post here to let you know how it goes. This will hopefully serve as helpful to anyone else found in the same situation.
Thanks once again.
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Hope it works out and you have many happy years with your goats. Are you going to spin the fleeces?
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@plumseverywhere Thanks for your help, we did end up phoning Animal Health and they were very helpful. In the end, we didn't need the details for the original owner of the goats, and they weren't as strict as to require movement documents.
All they are asking is that we register and tag the goats with red tags, showing that we now own them, but they were not born here.
@Roxy You were spot on with your advice, that is exactly what has happened. Animal Health were only to happy to help, and they were happy that we were now making the goats legal. Give yourself a pat on the back from us!
@MGM We're not planning on spinning the fleeces. We're new to the whole thing though and are members of Freecycle, so may offer up the fleeces on there to see if anyone else can give it a go.
Thanks everyone for your help, you've been fantastic!
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:) Glad you got things sorted. Enjoy your goats now they are legal!!!
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Angora fleece up to £40 a kg , twice a year sheering . think on before giving it away :fc:
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Wow. I knew it wasn't cheap but.... :o