Loose goats nabbed: See how KC animal control officers wrangled riverfront fugitives
By Natalie Wallington and
Dominick Williams
Goats roam wild along the riverfront Wednesday near Riverfront Park in Kansas City. The goats were wrangled by members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division on Wednesday.
Dominick Williams
dowilliams@kcstar.com
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Animal services officers gathered around dawn along the Riverfront Heritage Trail to physically herd the goats into an enclosed area where they could then be coaxed into a waiting trailer.
The plan “went really well,” said Ryan Johnson, the chief animal services officer for KC Pet Project, which runs Kansas City’s animal control department.
Members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division and goat farmer Margaret Chamas, center, climb the banks of the Missouri River at Riverfront Park Wednesday to round up rogue goats that have been roaming the park. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
The operation brought animal service officers onto the type of difficult terrain that goats excel at navigating, including the rocky slopes on the banks of the Missouri River and dirt paths along the nearby train tracks. KC Pet Project also brought in goat farmer Margaret Chamas to help them round up the elusive animals.
Goat farmer Margaret Chamas, middle right, along with KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division, was brought in Wednesday, Sept. 11, to help wrangle loose goats that have been living alongside the Riverfront Trail in Kansas City. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division were brought in Wednesday, Sept. 11, to help wrangle loose goats near the Riverfront Trail in Kansas City. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
The goats that have been living alongside the Riverfront Trail in Kansas City, were wrangled by Members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division, were brought in Wednesday to help wrangle loose goats that have been living along side the Riverfront Trail in Kansas City, Missouri. Goat farmer Margaret Chamas, left, was brought in to help wrangle the goats into a trailer. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Finally, officers contained the goats inside makeshift barriers made from portable fences, vehicles and wooden pallets. It took until 10 a.m., the sun high in the sky, to get all seven goats on board.
Members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division set up barriers to guide the rogue goats into a trailer. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division work Wednesday to wrangle goats that have been roaming wild in Riverfront Park in Kansas City. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
The seven goats will now be held at KC Pet Project’s main campus, specifically in the outdoor livestock area nicknamed “the farm,” for five days. If no owner comes forward to claim them, they will be adopted out to new homes.
Goats that have been living alongside the Riverfront Trail in Kansas City were wrangled by Members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
The fugitive goats first appeared on the riverfront in early August, near the end of a grazing program meant to clear brush sustainably. Once the goats hired for grazing were rounded up, 10 additional animals remained — with little indication of where they came from.
Members of KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division, were brought in Wednesday, Sept. 11, to help wrangle loose goats that have been living alongside the Riverfront Trail in Kansas City, Missouri. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
KC Pet Project captured three of these goats in recent weeks, but no owner came forward to claim them. They have since been adopted out to new homes. Johnson thinks it’s unlikely that an owner will claim the remaining seven — but we’ll have to wait for five more days to know for sure.
The fugitive goats were successfully captured and will go to the KC Pet Project’s main campus, where they will be put up for adoption if their owner doesn’t claim them. Dominick Williams dowilliams@kcstar.com
Do you have more questions about livestock, wildlife or pets in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
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Natalie Wallington was a reporter on The Star’s service journalism team with a focus on policy, labor, sustainability and local utilities from fall 2021 until early 2025. Her coverage of the region’s recycling system won a 2024 Feature Writing award from the Kansas Press Association.
Dominick Williams serves as a visual journalist for the Kansas City Star. His journalistic endeavors cover a diverse array of topics, notably sports, breaking news, human interest narratives, and culinary features.
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