A life in darkness...
25 rescued goats
25 goats were living in a cramped, dark and dirty barn in Lower Austria. The Animal Welfare Association of Lower Austria contacted Gut Aiderbichl and reported that it was planned to confiscate them. After the confiscation, the goats had found a temporary home for the time being. There, the animals were examined by a veterinarian and it was also observed which goats got along well with each other. To avoid the slaughterhouse, the animal welfare activists started looking for places of grace. And 17 of the 25 goats were placed at Gut Aiderbichl.
The goats were totally insecure and fearful
The small, dark barn could not possibly offer species-appropriate husbandry. In the goat group there were at least seven uncastrated bucks and some small kids. Everything that can slip away had slipped away...When it comes to animal suffering, you don't have to look beyond Austria's borders. Animal suffering has no borders, it happens everywhere in the world.
Basically, anyone can keep goats
Goat keeping does not require any special permission or personal requirements. The general legal requirements of the Animal Welfare Act (§2) must be observed, which means the following: goat keeping must be appropriate to the species, the diet must meet the needs. The goat needs the opportunity to exercise in a manner appropriate to its species - the latter was, among other things, definitely not given in the small barn.
The nature of the goat
Goats are very intelligent, curious and adaptive animals. They are among the most sure-footed animals on earth and are of great endurance. Goats can assert themselves well. When they want to get something done, we know the facial expressions: head slightly lowered, the eyes become more fixed and the goat horns signal: "Attention! Do not contradict me!".
Goats are socially minded and love to live in a herd.
Goats are great observers
When you watch them, you notice that there is nothing they don't notice in their environment. They want to know and get to know everything, and for this the animals need a generous run and also climbing opportunities. Whether big or small - goats look for a "lookout tower" and love to observe their surroundings.
Prams, tables, benches, large stones, roofs...almost nothing is safe from them
Everything is interesting and is explored. Our Tati, the goat with the white heart on her forehead, also jumps onto the roof of the Kune-Kune hut and eats up the geraniums until there is nothing left. "You have no idea how good they taste" - she seems to be trying to convey.
The 17 rescued goats have now become part of our family and are slowly getting used to the sun, freedom and all the new friends on the farm
In the meantime, the new goats have received the best veterinary care - they have been dewormed and have also been given great names.
For example, there is Seppi, Lucifer, Melina, Sabine, Bibi, Barney, Michaela, Luci, Cheyenne, Klein Mia, Lara, Pamina, Esmeralda, Emil, Bindi, Rapunzel and Lea.
May they all soon shed their insecurities and fears and become happy-go-lucky goats at Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf.
