Runaway goat gives Berkeley police the slip
Dozens of residents have now shared sightings and concerns about the goat on Nextdoor.
A runaway goat has roamed Berkeley for days, eluding residents, animal control and, most recently, police.
Reports began Friday on Nextdoor after a man spotted a "big old black goat" on Campus Drive near UC Berkeley at 2:30 p.m.
The goat had been "wandering the hills for a while," he wrote.
"Berkeley animal control came but he had already wandered off. Animal control will come if you call, but suggested that if you have a chance to safely enclose him somewhere, it would help, because he’ll always be gone by the time they arrive."
"Of course they know this is a silly request, but someone might figure out something," he continued. "Also give him some water."
Sightings picked up this week.
"Is this your goat? Spotted at Dana & Woolsey on Monday," one local resident wrote at about 8:50 a.m., sharing a photograph of the mostly black goat with white markings sizing her up from the sidewalk.
Another person found security footage of the goat making its way up Woolsey Street.
"I have captured coyotes, deer and horseback riders," she told The Scanner. "This is our first goat."
Dozens of residents have now shared sightings and concerns about the goat on Nextdoor.
"He was seen in Elmwood at 8am and 8.30am yesterday. He appeared stressed, anxious crossing the road, and he was running mostly — then he'd stop nervously like he was assessing danger ahead," one person wrote.
"Probably one that got loose when they were in Tilden and a fence came down allowing them to wander off," wrote another. "I guess this one made a successful escape but I bet it is lonely."
@iamlindseyd Meet some of the Bay Area’s coolest volunteer firefighters. Yes, these goats are actually helping to prevent the fires in the hills of the Bay Area specifically, Tilden Park right now you will see 100s of goats grazing in the fields around Claremont Boulevard and in Tilden Park in order to help remove some of the brush to avoid force fires. It’s amazing to see all of these goats on the steep hills just enjoying their days having the best time living their best life eating all the grass they want. Now this is a job that we could all get used to. And doesn’t this supposed to make you want a goat? #fyp #tildenpark #goats #bayarea
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Berkeley police said they got multiple calls about the goat Monday in the Claremont-Elmwood neighborhood.
BPD sent officers to search for it and initially found the goat on Tunnel Road.
But when they tried to corral it, the goat made its escape through someone's backyard.
"They didn't have a fence so it kept going," police said in response to a Scanner inquiry.
