Search
)
Enlarge this Image
)
Enlarge this Image
)
Enlarge this Image
Trotting through the grass behind a wooden fence looking to visitors for food, clothes or anything else they can snack on are the newest additions to Ryerson Woods.
The hungry youngsters are two pygmy goats named Lily and Iris that Ryerson Woods adopted four weeks ago. Each weighing 25 pounds and standing around two feet high, the pair joins the forest preserve’s family of barn animals, which includes sheep, calves, chickens, pigs, a turkey and another pygmy goat.
The educators at the forest preserve were interested in adding two new goats to the farm area to replace one 12-year-old female goat that died of old age, said Jill Stites, environmental educator at Ryerson Woods, located in Riverwoods. Typically, animals brought to Ryerson are borrowed from local farmers, but the staff decided to explore adopting a rescued animal.
After a call to the Hooved Animal Humane Society in Woodstock, forest preserve officials learned that the society had coincidentally just rescued several animals, including the goats.
“We’ve never done anything like this before, so it was perfect timing that we were looking to get two goats and the shelter had just rescued some,” Stites said. “It was meant to be.”
The goats were nursed back to health at the humane society after being rescued in April from a farm in Boone County, said Hillary Clark, program director for the Hooved Animal Humane Society. Lily and Iris were among 25 animals (10 goats, 8 horses, 6 donkeys and one sheep) rescued from the farm.
Once rescued, a big concern was trimming their hooves, Clark said. The goats had been standing in a three-foot high mixture of straw and manure, which caused their hooves to grow extremely long due to their inactivity. Also, the females and males were kept in one stall, which was an inappropriate way to house the animals, but, none of them ended up pregnant.
“All in all, they were really friendly, so we got lucky with that,” Clark said. “In situations where they’re all kept in one stall and ignored for a long period of time, I wouldn’t expect them to be so friendly. They were exuberant and happy to be around people.”
Stites said she admires the humane society’s passion for the well being of animals, which is what appealed to the forest preserve officials when considering adopting.
“The Hooved Animal Humane Society basically nursed them back to health,” she said. “They were checked out by a vet, de-wormed and cleaned up. Once they made sure the goats were healthy, they were ready to find them homes.”
Clark said she is happy Lily and Iris, who got their names from the staff at the humane society, have a home at Ryerson Woods, where there is a beautiful facility and where they can be used in educating visitors at the forest preserve in the way goats should be treated.
“We sent out one of our adoption approval representatives and they said Ryerson Woods would be a wonderful home for the goats,” Clark said. “We looked for the best home possible and Ryerson Woods definitely fit.”
Despite a noisy first car ride from Woodstock to Riverwoods, Stites said the 1-year-old goats have become more laid back and have adjusted well to their new home. They spend their days grazing, and are cared for by the forest preserve district’s operations managers, who make sure they are fed and have shelter from bad weather.
“It seems like a great fit,” Stites said. “The goats settled in right away. They learned early on that people come in and bring them food. They usually hang out by the fence and are very friendly to anyone who wants to come in and play.”
Environmental educators at Ryerson Woods plan on using Lily and Iris in upcoming youth programs. Families are also welcome to visit the farm, walk around the barn and meet the animals.
“Lily and Iris are a great addition to our little family here,” Stites said. “We’re very lucky to have them and really hope people come out to visit.”
Clark said the Hooved Animal Humane Society still has six goats waiting to be adopted. Anyone interested in adopting a hoofed animal may call the society at 815-336-5563 or visit http://www.hahs.org for more details.
