NEWS

Goat still at large as PETA calls for investigation

Holly Hines, and Jeff Charis-Carlson
Press Citizen
Colleen Sunderland provided this photo of a goat she saw running loose in January 2016 near Oakdale Boulevard and the University of Iowa's Research Park.
  • The goat escaped last Friday from University of Iowa's Research Park.
  • On Sunday, Iowa City residents saw the goat "laying back, catching rays."
  • Anyone who spots the goat should contact UI Public Safety at 319-335-5022.

An animal welfare advocacy group is calling for a government investigation into circumstances surrounding the escape of a goat last week from the University of Iowa's Research Park in Coralville.

In a letter dated Tuesday, a senior laboratory oversight specialist for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals argued that, based on media reports, the male goat’s escape Jan. 29 was the result of violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

“It is unclear whether the goat sustained any injuries as a result of the escape or whether the goat will be safely captured,” wrote PETA’s Alka Chandna. “However, as it appears that the goat is still at large, it would seem that he spent more than 96 hours exposed to Coralville’s freezing temperatures, alone, frightened, and confused; and very likely, hungry and thirsty.”

A statement issued Tuesday by the UI's Office of Research and Economic Development says the goat might be roaming the North Liberty area.

UI officials are encouraging North Liberty residents to keep an eye out for the animal, which they say is the size of a small deer. Officials are encouraging anyone who spots the goat to contact UI Public Safety at 319-335-5022.

The statement says the goat is "in excellent health and poses no public health risk."

However, Chandna in her letter called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to initiate “a full investigation into this incident and any underlying issues that may be exposed.”

In a separate letter also dated Tuesday, Chandna called on UI President Bruce Harreld to transfer the goat to an accredited sanctuary, should officials safely capture it, and to fund its care.

UI officials said Tuesday they had just received the letters and were still forming a response.

Stephen Pradarelli, spokesman for the UI’s Vice President for Research and Economic Development office, said in an email that the goat's "health and safety are our top concern."

"While goats are hardy animals, we want to recover him as soon as possible,” Pradarelli said

He said the university acquired the goat as an adult from a local farm in September for orthopedics research.

Pradarelli said the goat escaped from a portable carrier while officials were preparing to load him into a truck, and said officials are “continuing to look into the particular circumstances and pursue remedies to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

He said staff with the UI’s Office of Animal Resources and area law enforcement are searching the Coralville and North Liberty daily for the goat and noted officials also are following up on sightings.

Two Iowa City residents Tuesday said they spotted the missing goat Sunday lying in the sun in a neighbor's yard.

Margot Bilanin said she and her partner, Julie Mock, saw the goat "laying back, catching rays" in Iowa City late Sunday afternoon. She said she did a double-take and mentioned the sighting to friends, who let her know about the university's missing goat.

Mock said she and Bilanin contacted university authorities after they spotted the goat, which Mock described as looking "healthy and alert." She said an official from the sheriff's office and two other people responded.

Mock said the two people brought a bucket of graham crackers and marshmallows to lure the goat, but their attempt to catch him was unsuccessful.

“I think the goat was known to like sweets," Mock said.

Mock and Bilanin also said they are concerned about the goat's well-being, particularly given the rainy and snowy weather. Bilanin said she hopes the university will relocate the goat to a sanctuary after they capture him.

”I would love a public outcry to say, you know, let the goat go to a sanctuary," she said.

Reach Holly Hines at hhines2@press- citizen.com or at 319-887-5414, and follow her on Twitter at @HollyJHines.

UI warns of escaped goat