Batman (left) and Joker (right) watching the herd together, taken at some point in 2023.
It's hard for me to think that they're both gone now.
All of my goats are quite old and have various health issues, meaning that they're more likely to get ill and die. This page is dedicated to the goats who have passed away over the years; out of respect I've decided not to post their images here, except for one.
Sanibel, affectionately named Zombie, was an old goat with a variety of health issues I never knew the root cause of. She survived for a much longer time than any of us anticipated, but suddenly fell one night and was unable to get back up. I think she may have had Johne's, which is a disease a few other goats of the herd have caught.
Batman managed to quite literally get every disease and die. On top of an abscess-making disease that can be fatal, she caught both Johne's and the goat equivalent to AIDS. We didn't know this until it was way too late, so I was struggling to keep her alive as we figured out if it was something treatable. She was put down and buried in an accessible place to visit.
Shiva was a LaMancha goat with some form of dental problem that I imagine made it difficult to eat. She unfortunately died in my arms on a rainy night in the winter as I was trying to help her drink some water. She was buried next to Batman.
When we downsized, I kept Savory, thinking she wouldn't survive the trauma of going to auction and moving to a new home. Due to her age and general weakness, she was a punching bag for the other goats and I gave her special attention to make sure she was fed. I think Shiva's death is part of what made her die, as the two became friends near the end of their lives. Savory was buried next to Sanibel.
Tamalpais, known better as Tammy, was a very silly Nubian with a very dumb face. She was very friendly and cuddly with everyone and was never sad a day in her life, as far as I can tell. She contracted Johne's at some point and had to be put down once she became wobbly, since we didn't want her to be miserable and unable to walk. She was cremated, and I have her in my house.
Shortbread was the tiniest goat and was afraid of her own shadow. It took a lot for her to approach you, and it took even more for her to speak! We aren't sure what exactly she caught, but she died the day we were supposed to start treatment for her. She was quite happy her last day, although she seemed upset that we had bought an extra day of life for her (complaining quite loudly.) She was buried next to Shiva, as the two were friends.
As of writing this, it's been less than a week since Joker passed away. She was another Nubian and Batman's sister, and unfortunately contracted the same litany of diseases she had. She held on, but eventually stopped eating or accepting treat and was found dead 30 minutes before the vet was scheduled to put her down. We buried her further from the other goats, since it's illegal to have too many dead animals in the same (general) spot. I wasn't present for the burial (too cold,) but I left some treats by a makeshift headstone my stepfather put together.
Batman (left) and Joker (right) watching the herd together, taken at some point in 2023.
It's hard for me to think that they're both gone now.