COLORADO SPRINGS — A herd of weed-eating goats trying to do their job in Bear Creek Regional Park are being harassed on a daily basis by dogs, whose owners are illegally allowing them to run off-leash.
Every year for the past 15 years, about 550 goats have worked the park, eating noxious weeds and brush around the county’s community garden. The organic weed control program keeps the park free from pesticides and chemicals.
One goat was chased by a dog and pinned down by the throat. An adult male jumped in and scared the dog away before the goat was killed.
“It’s a serious problem this year,” said Lani Malmberg of Goat Green, who manages the herd.
This year dog owners are more blatant about their disregard for the leash law, she said. She’s been cursed at and threatened, and one man revved his vehicle at her as though he was going to try and hit her when she has asked for dogs to be put on a leash, she said.
