When Jessica found him, Michael could barely move. Jessica Sandler’s heart sank. There alongside the country road was a goat in obvious distress. He was chained and padlocked by his neck to a metal stake. All but 18 inches of the chain was twisted around the stake. His neck was raw and bleeding where the chain cut into it. He couldn’t reach his water. He had no food, shade or shelter other than a skimpy cloth umbrella—in an area where winter brings icy winds and tons of snow. He could not even lie down and rest his head comfortably. He had an overgrown back hoof that was 8 inches long. Putting aside her vacation plans, Jessica stopped her car and vowed to help this animal no matter how much time and effort it took. The situation was desperate. Jessica quickly photographed the goat and drove back to her hotel to make phone calls. Within an hour, a deputy sheriff met her at the hotel, along with the head of the local humane society and a person from the police department in charge of code enforcement from the nearest town. A liberated Michael with some of his new friends “It turns out,” said Jessica, “a different deputy sheriff had previously gone out to this property on a complaint and decided everything was fine because he didn’t ‘know goats.’” Jessica took the officials to the goat. They documented his situation and that of other animals on the property, including a sheep with a broken and untended leg and a nanny goat with an untrimmed curved horn almost growing into here skull. Jessica emphasized that she—guided by PETA—would persist until the animal’s situation was remedied. None of the officials had any experience with such a situation, but the deputy sheriff agreed to pursue the matter under the state law requiring farmed animals to be treated “in accordance with accepted agricultural animal husbandry practices.” The next day, the deputy sheriff returned to the property with a veterinarian who specializes in large animals. The “owner” was in the kitchen cooking up some of the animals she had just butchered. The veterinarian gave the owner a list of the problems to be corrected and veterinary care that was needed immediately. The owner decided to sign over all the animals instead. When Jessica found him, Michael could barely move. With the help of the local humane society, Jessica arranged for medical attention and transportation to the Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary for the goat, whom she named Michael, and for the other animals—six goats, including four kids, and two sheep. Sadly, one of the sheep was too sick to save, but the malnourished goats are gaining weight, the nanny goat’s horn has been trimmed and Michael’s neck is healing. The change in Michael is wonderful to see. Even though he was finally free, during the first few days at the sanctuary he huddled listlessly next to a post, since immobility was all he’d ever known. Now, although his hindquarters are somewhat atrophied from disuse, he trots all over the place, forcing his head against people for patting, rooting through people’s pockets and running around the sanctuary to see what’s going on with the other animals. He has been learning new “goat” things from the other goats. He watched them graze and then tried it himself. “His face is beautiful,” says Jessica. “He’s one of the most charismatic, charming animals I’ve ever met, and it’s truly a delight to see him so frisky and happy.” “I’m telling this story in the hope that others will not simply pass by a bad situation thinking that there’s nothing they can do. There is always something you can do, and often you are the animals’ only hope. “It turned out that Michael had been tied up like that for more than a decade! Think of all the people who saw him as they drove by but kept on going. Yet once someone stopped, it took only two and a half days—from Tuesday morning until Thursday afternoon—to rescue him and the other animals. When the pickup truck came to take Michael away, he got right into it!” Help is at hand! When you take on a cruelty case, PETA’s Research & Investigations Department or Domestic Animal Issues & Abuse Department can advise you. Get prepared by contacting PETA now to request our “What to Do If You Spot Animal Abuse” factsheet (or check it out at Helping Animals.com).