PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Animal Control Officer (ACO) Savannah Bell-Bussler worked for more than a week to capture a stray goat in Calvert County, plying her with cheese crackers before finally bringing her to the Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter on July 3.
“Goats and pigs love salty snacks,” Bell-Bussler said. “Anything they wouldn’t usually be able to eat.”
Animal control first received notice of the missing goat a few months back, but with limited information and sightings, there wasn’t much they could do. Then, they got a call from a property owner who said the goat was coming close to their land, and they were concerned about how their dogs would react. Animal control was also concerned about the goat’s access to food and water and knew they had to catch her before winter rolled back in.
Bell-Bussler got on the case.
First, she tried to get the goat to come to her so she could capture it with a leash. Goats and pigs are especially smart and quickly adapt to life in the wild. That’s good for their survival — but not as good for humans. This goat in particular was curious but cautious, so Bell-Bussler had to try other methods.
She tracked the goat for a week and a half, patiently offering her food. Finally, she hit on the winning combo: cheese and crackers.
But the goat wasn’t quite ready to end the fun. Every time the officers got close, she’d climb to the top floor of an abandoned house, where she knew her human pursuers couldn’t reach her. The goat also hid under a porch and then bolted back to her second-floor hideaway as soon as they walked past.
“It was a game,” Bell-Bussler said. “And she knew if she got us in there, she’d get tasty snacks. She didn’t want it to end.”
Eventually, Bell-Bussler managed to trap the goat and get her to the shelter, where she was claimed by her owner. The owner was new to goats, and Bell-Bussler and her colleagues were able to provide key information on how to keep the goat secure.
For example, goats can slip through fences more easily than people think. If you’re keeping goats, the goat shouldn’t be able to fit its head through a fence — if its head fits, its body will fit. Enclosures also need to be at least five or six feet tall, depending on the breed, or goats can jump them.
Bell-Bussler emphasized that goats and pigs are highly intelligent and are “just waiting for a chance to go have an adventure.”
“They’re basically toddlers with horns,” she joked.
She’s caught many of these animals using her salty snacks trick and recalled the chaos of chasing pigs across a road and having to pick up screaming pigs by their back legs. Pigs have a powerful bite force, so it’s best to avoid their heads.
Bell-Bussler recounted her goat story early Thursday morning — during which time, she was already out working, searching for a stray dog. She’s been an ACO for two years and previously worked as a veterinary technician in the area. Animal control gives her the opportunity to educate people about caring for animals and helps her bridge the gap between community care and animal care.
“I want people to know we’re not the big bad wolf who’s trying to take a pet away,” she said. “Taking care of an animal can be hard. The best part of my job is being able to help someone learn how to take care of the animal and give them the resources they need.”
If people have questions or concerns about an animal — especially how to care for it — she encourages them to look into community resources or give animal control a call.
“Ask your questions,” she said. “We’re here to help.”
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Why not just shoot it with a dart gun to make it drowsy and capture it quickly?
I’m no expert but my understanding is that finding the proper dose of a tranquilizer can be difficult. You can accidentally kill the animal.