Chance spot on Facebook reunites goats with owner

Two goats have been reunited with their owners after a nine-month search

Two stolen pygmy goats have been returned to their owners after turning up 200 miles away from their home.

Nanny McPhee and Raven, along with two others from the herd of 14, were snatched from a livery yard in Oakenshaw, near Bradford, in October 2023.

The RSPCA found the pair wandering in Kirkburn, East Yorkshire, in January, but did not realise they had been stolen, and they were sent to a rescue centre in Surrey.

They are now safely back at Bridgefield Stables in Oakenshaw, which owner Millie McKenzie said was "amazing" - although Nibbles and Nancy remained missing.

Despite gates being closed and locked at Bridgefield Stables, Ms McKenzie discovered the four goats were missing one morning.

She said: "We joined every possible animal group online to try to find the goats but there was no news."

The RSPCA had found the abandoned goats wandering on a road near Driffield on 14 January, and they were cared for at a private sanctuary before being moved to Millbrook Animal Centre in Surrey in April with staff "none the wiser".

It was not until 17 July that a teenage girl who regularly visited the stables spotted a rehoming appeal for Nanny McPhee and Raven on the RSPCA's social media channels and "instantly" recognised them.

Nanny McPhee and Raven were found 200 miles from their home

They were collected by Miss McKenzie and her family three days later and are now back in Oakenshaw.

She added: "It’s so amazing to have Nanny McPhee and Raven home where they belong.

"They’ve settled back in happily and have slotted back into their daily routine."

However she said she was "heartbroken" that the other two goats, Nibbles and Nancy, were still missing.

She appealed for help to track them down and reunite the full herd.

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