ANIMALS
At Shelter, Goat Makes Friend with Dog and Refuses To Be Apart From Him
Cinnamon and Felix are an inseparable goat and dog pair who share an incredible bond. The staff at the Wake County Animal Center (WCAC) was amazed by their unique friendship and how unhappy they were when separated.
“Initially, we were going to separate them at night because there was no one in the shelter to monitor them, but they were not having that,” Dr. Jennifer Federico, DVM, Wake County government’s animal services director, told The Dodo.
When the owner of Cinnamon and Felix was unable to take care of them, animal control at Wake County stepped in. Although Wake County’s animal control usually does not work with farm animals, they didn’t hesitate to take Cinnamon and Felix when they learned that the two were inseparable.
From the moment Felix and Cinnamon arrived at the shelter, it was clear that they had a strong bond. Over time, their reliance on each other only grew stronger.
“We could walk the dog all over from where their kennels are to our little dog park area, and we wouldn’t leash the goat at all — Cinnamon would just follow,” Dr. Federico said.
The two inseparable friends preferred to share the same sleeping space at night and spend their days in each other’s company. If they were separated, they would express their displeasure to the shelter staff.
“Cinnamon would start screaming,” Dr. Federico said, “and, in the kennel, [she’d] headbutt the door if we separated them to eat.”
The two best friends were inseparable and would follow each other wherever they went.
Cinnamon and Felix share a common trait despite being different species.
“Goats are social animals and so are dogs, so when they’re put together, it makes sense they would find friendship,” Dr. Federico said in a press release. “‘Whatever the reason for these two bonding, it’s clear what would be best for their well-being is to keep them together.’”
WCAC collaborated with The Mr. Mo Project, a rescue organization based in New York, to find a suitable farm where Cinnamon could socialize with other goats and stay with Felix. Thanks to the swift efforts of the rescue, the two best friends were quickly placed in their perfect forever home.
“All the pieces fell into place,” Dr. Federico said. “Their new mom has a herd of goats, and she has the space to take both Cinnamon and Felix. They’re even building a separate pasture for Cinnamon so that she’s separated from the other goats for now and can transition appropriately.”
Dr. Federico believes that Cinnamon’s close bond with Felix is likely due to a lack of opportunity to form relationships with other goats. While she is eager to see Cinnamon integrate with her fellow goats in her new home, she understands that for now, Cinnamon is happy simply having her best friend by her side.
“We don’t know if Cinnamon has ever been with other goats, but we know that her safety is Felix,” Dr. Federico said. “They’re such a unique pair, and they’re so sweet together. This is just what they needed.”
Source: The Dodo