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Maine woman, police rescue escaped goat that jumped into ocean

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Maine woman, police rescue escaped goat that jumped into ocean Police officers try to coax a goat out of the water in Maine on Tuesday. (Belfast Police Department)

By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

BELFAST, Maine — If 2020 has gotten your goat, you have company.

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A Maine woman and three police officers helped rescue a goat that jumped into chilly ocean waters after escaping from the parking lot of a veterinarian’s office, authorities said.

According to a Facebook post by the Belfast Police Department, the goat escaped from its owner at the Belfast Veterinary Hospital. Three officers attempted to corral the animal, but the goat had other ideas, jumping into the water despite 28-degree temperatures, WCSH reported.

“It’s another day in Belfast, that’s for sure,” Belfast police Sgt. Dan Fitzpatrick told the television station. “I did not know up until it happened that goats could actually swim.”

Jeri Holmes said she was making a pot of chili in her kitchen when she noticed three officers in her side yard, WMTW reported.

The officers went knee-deep into the water, but the goat proved to be elusive.

“This goat was in the water swimming over to Islesboro,” Holmes told WMTW. “There’s no way this goat was turning around.”

Holmes ran outside, grabbed her kayak and paddled toward the goat.

“There was no hesitation. What am I going to do? It would have died,” Holmes told the television station. “I don’t know anything about goats, so I grabbed his horn and I put a line around it and it kept tipping its head so it could breathe and the line would keep falling off its horns.”

Holmes lost her paddle but was still able to help guide the animal back to shore after about 20 minutes. By that time, Holmes’ neighbors had gathered to see what the commotion was about.

“Regretfully I’ll be called the goat whisperer from now on,” Holmes told WCSH. “Or the aqua-goat herder.

“Have I ever done this before? No.” Holmes said. “I see its little butt paddling really hard. It was a big goat.”

Neighbors brought some blankets to help keep the goat warm, WTMW reported.

The animal was then returned to its owner, who then took it back to the veterinary hospital, WGME reported.

Cox Media Group

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