A driver pulled a white SUV into a business driveway along Highway 212 in Boring on Wednesday, pushed two goats out onto the pavement, and drove off, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. A nearby business owner spotted the abandonment and called it in, and deputies who responded ended up handing the animals off to a local farm sanctuary rather than making an arrest on the spot.
The goats, both female Nigerian Dwarf mixes, were let out of the vehicle in the 28890 block of Southeast Highway 212, according to KATU. A witness told deputies they watched the SUV pull into the driveway just long enough for the driver to let the animals out before leaving the scene. Deputies then transported the two goats to Out to Pasture Sanctuary, an animal rescue located in nearby Estacada.
In its own account of the rescue, Out to Pasture Sanctuary said a woman was seen pushing the two goats out of her car along the busy Highway 26/Highway 212 corridor before driving away, and that it took emergency custody of the animals after deputies responded to the scene. The sanctuary said it has scheduled immediate veterinary checks, bioscreens, and basic medical care for the goats with Eagle Fern Equine, and that the animals will be offered for adoption once they clear a standard quarantine period.
A Dangerous Spot to Dump Livestock
The goats were left along Highway 212 near U.S. Route 26 in Boring. Setting animals loose near moving traffic creates an obvious hazard both for the goats and for drivers.
Sanctuary staff are now caring for the two goats until a new home can be found for them, per the sheriff's office account relayed by KATU. Out to Pasture Sanctuary is located in Estacada.
Who Investigates a Goat Abandonment
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office handled the response to the abandonment.
The sheriff's office is asking anyone with information about the case to come forward, and has assigned it reference number 26-018850. Tips can be submitted online through the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office tip portal or by calling the office directly at 503-723-4949. Investigators have not publicly identified the driver of the white SUV.
Oregon's Animal-Abandonment Law
Oregon law includes a provision on animal abandonment, ORS 167.340.
The Clackamas County District Attorney's Office maintains a dedicated animal abuse prosecutor who works with local law enforcement and the Oregon Humane Society on cruelty cases, according to Clackamas County. Accountability measures vary by case and may include criminal convictions and probation conditions that restrict future animal ownership.
A Region Where Goats Are Common — and Cases Like This Aren't New
Clackamas County has more than 4,000 farms and a variety of agricultural products, according to Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory. The goat abandonment near Boring is one reported animal-abandonment case in the area. The Oregon Humane Society has also assisted in animal-neglect cases.
For now, the two goats found on Highway 212 remain in the care of Out to Pasture Sanctuary staff until a new home can be found.
