Man is injured by goat
By Wayne Ford - wayne.ford@onlineathens.com
Published Thursday, August 26, 2010
An 88-year-old Colbert man was hospitalized with serious injuries following a prolonged attack by an aggressive goat late Sunday.
Vestal Davis of Smithonia-Colbert Road remained in intensive care Wednesday at Athens Regional Medical Center.
According to a Madison County Sheriff's Office report, a deputy was dispatched about 6:15 p.m. to Davis' home on a call that a man was attacked by his neighbor's goat.
"Mr. Davis stated that he went outside to his shop and looked up, and a goat charged him, knocking him to the ground. He stated that every time he moved to get up, the goat would attack him again," the deputy wrote.
Davis told the deputy the attack went on for about an hour until the goat walked inside the shop, and he had time to reach his home and call 911.
The deputy spoke to the 69-year-old neighbor, who owns the goat, and he said the goat escaped from its pen, but he did not know about the attack. The deputy heard Davis complaining about pain in his arms and neck as medics prepared him for a trip to the hospital.
Sheriff Kip Thomas said investigators plan to charge the goat owner with allowing livestock to roam free.
"We've looked and that's the only thing he can be charged with," Thomas said, adding that the owner still has the goat.
The sheriff's office plans to file the charge because Madison County Animal Control officer Jack Huff said Colbert is the only city in the county in which he has no jurisdiction.
Colbert Mayor Chris Peck learned about the attack Tuesday night.
"I'm just hoping that Mr. Davis gets all right. I was stunned when I heard it," Peck said. "I hate it for everybody that is involved. I know the man that owned the goat and he wouldn't hurt anybody. It think it's an unfortunate accident that happened."
Peck said the only ordinance the city has that might address the incident is one forbidding livestock.
"We've never had to enforce our ordinance that I'm aware of, but I've only been mayor since January. I've never heard of anything like this," he said.
By Wayne Ford - wayne.ford@onlineathens.com
Published Thursday, August 26, 2010
An 88-year-old Colbert man was hospitalized with serious injuries following a prolonged attack by an aggressive goat late Sunday.
Vestal Davis of Smithonia-Colbert Road remained in intensive care Wednesday at Athens Regional Medical Center.
According to a Madison County Sheriff's Office report, a deputy was dispatched about 6:15 p.m. to Davis' home on a call that a man was attacked by his neighbor's goat.
"Mr. Davis stated that he went outside to his shop and looked up, and a goat charged him, knocking him to the ground. He stated that every time he moved to get up, the goat would attack him again," the deputy wrote.
Davis told the deputy the attack went on for about an hour until the goat walked inside the shop, and he had time to reach his home and call 911.
The deputy spoke to the 69-year-old neighbor, who owns the goat, and he said the goat escaped from its pen, but he did not know about the attack. The deputy heard Davis complaining about pain in his arms and neck as medics prepared him for a trip to the hospital.
Sheriff Kip Thomas said investigators plan to charge the goat owner with allowing livestock to roam free.
"We've looked and that's the only thing he can be charged with," Thomas said, adding that the owner still has the goat.
The sheriff's office plans to file the charge because Madison County Animal Control officer Jack Huff said Colbert is the only city in the county in which he has no jurisdiction.
Colbert Mayor Chris Peck learned about the attack Tuesday night.
"I'm just hoping that Mr. Davis gets all right. I was stunned when I heard it," Peck said. "I hate it for everybody that is involved. I know the man that owned the goat and he wouldn't hurt anybody. It think it's an unfortunate accident that happened."
Peck said the only ordinance the city has that might address the incident is one forbidding livestock.
"We've never had to enforce our ordinance that I'm aware of, but I've only been mayor since January. I've never heard of anything like this," he said.