[lizzypeg]

I need to pick up a goat from central London but don't have access to a trailer.hes small enough to fit in a dog crate in my car but im not sure if its legal to do this?
I can't find anything on the web/defra to say wether it is or isn't legally allowed in the uk?

can anyone help please?

[mojocafa]

I hope  its ok, as I have done it in a hatchback style car. As long as you can clean up afterwards. Someone will be along soon that will know   

[Anke]

I have taken kids in large dog crates in the back of a normal family estate before, to is the safest way to travel for them rather than a massive trailer.

My (adult) GG's have also travelled in the back of a pick-up, it was tall enough for them to stand up in. I think that's the most important - they have to be able to stand up and do their business...

So if the goats can stand up and turn round in the crate, s/he would be fine to travel in it. I guess s/he is then also small enough to be lifted in/out of the car?

[goosepimple]

I do it all the time with our pygmies, just make sure you have the correct DEFRA paperwork, don't know the English versions but the Scottish paperwork has a bit you fill in as to how far you are travelling with it - if it's over a certain distance (can't remember what, 40 miles or so (?)) you have to have another permit, but who's counting 

[goosepimple]

Oh, and a PS:


Good idea to put a big sheet down in the car first and then the crate on - it stops the crate slipping around and also they're not so accurate when weeing 

[Anke]

Oh, and a PS:


Good idea to put a big sheet down in the car first and then the crate on - it stops the crate slipping around and also they're not so accurate when weeing 

but not as bad as piglets.....

[lizzypeg]

thanks iv done it before too but wasn't going thru central London where im more likely to meet a police man who may question me, so wanted to know its it actually illegal incase I get stopped.its not a long journey, under an hour just straight thru London.
thanks all.

[plumseverywhere]

We had this discussion at our goat club. Yes its entirely legal so long as you can thoroughly clean the area that the goat has travelled in afterwards.  The onus is on the goat being as stress free as possible and our arguement is that a lonely goat in a trailer will stress more than a goat in a (suitable) car with a person to keep it calm.
Just as well, I've transported 4 dairy goats in the back of a vw caravelle and yes, we got some odd looks     

[tizaala]

Even more important  : DON'T turn off your Engine until she's unloaded otherwise she'll pee straight away.
  lots of old paper feed bags to act as a sponge on top of a large plastic sheet.

[mojocafa]

I was advised not to have the heating on full blast,  anyone know why?

[lizzypeg]

the goats will over heat.i always have windows open a bit for air flow

[lachlanandmarcus]

I do it all the time with our pygmies, just make sure you have the correct DEFRA paperwork, don't know the English versions but the Scottish paperwork has a bit you fill in as to how far you are travelling with it - if it's over a certain distance (can't remember what, 40 miles or so (?)) you have to have another permit, but who's counting 

This is true. Alto there's an exemption for pet animals even if livestock species, an exemption if the transport isn't in connection with an economic activity (business) and also (crucial here) an exemption if the number if animals doesn't exceed the number of handlers ie one person with one animals will never need the cert. So should be A-OK here.

[Roxy]

My only trailer is a big horse one - costs a fortune in fuel to tow that around.l have carried my big goats, sheep, etc in the back of a Landrover, and now we have a Ford Ranger with a large back on it, in there.  To be honest, they enjoy standing up looking out of the back window!!  Much better than a trailer they say.
I did move three pygmy goats with large horns (one an intact male) from Newcastle, in the back of a small van.  I put cardboard on the back windows, just in case the male decided to headbutt  the glass on the motorway!!
 
I always take my goat kids to the vets for disbudding in a large dog crate - carry it straight into the vets, and then pop them back in and bring them home.  Much easier than carrying numerous goats in and out of cars.

[fiestyredhead331]

I had kids in a crate on a ferry 

[sokel]

Travelled  loads of goats and lambs in the car  never had a problem except the time we had one of the girls to visit a friends Billy and the trailer developed a wheel problem    so into the car she went to bring her home for weeks after you could smell billy in the car. At least it stopped people borrowing my car