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Baby goats found after going missing in Salt Lake City

Posted at 2:43 PM, Feb 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-12 23:41:01-05

SALT LAKE CITY - Six baby goats, born less than three weeks ago, were found after going missing from Cross E Ranch just north of Salt Lake City Sunday night.

Monday evening a woman called the ranch, and said that she had found the six baby goats in her yard. The woman knew the baby goats were missing after watching Fox 13's story.

Ranch co-owner Dalon Hinckley said he noticed something off when he went to work Monday morning. One of their four-wheelers was in the middle of the road. He thinks someone may have tried to take off with it, but did not get far because it is broken.

Then, one of their staff who helps feed the baby goats in the morning noticed they were all missing.

“Why would someone steal a baby goat? Who does that?" Hinckley said Monday afternoon.

At first, he said, they thought somebody thought the goats were cute and let them out to pet them. They searched the whole farm, but could not find the goats anywhere. He said they would not run off on their own; it is not in their nature to leave their group, especially when it is the place where they are safe and fed.

He just cannot fathom why someone would want a baby goat specifically, let alone six.

“Like if you’re going to steal an animal why wouldn’t you steal like a pig? Not that I’m advocating that," Hinckley said. He figured you cannot milk the babies, and you cannot eat them, so what is the point?

The goats being missing also affected some of the animals the goats play with, like Oli the pig. Hinckley said they put the goats in Oli's pen to help make him more sociable for when he grows up and starts breeding.

“He was much more social and then this morning he’s back to laying around. So we’re kind of like 'Oh I wonder if little Oli is sad again.’ That’s kind of just another sad detail. I don’t know, it’s just disappointing someone would… it’s just sad that people steal right?” Hinckley said.

Cross E Ranch has been robbed a couple times over the last 10 years, according to Hinckley, but typically people steal farm equipment or something they can sell off and make money on.

“I guess you just don’t really think that baby goats are a big theft potential?" he said.