After a hiatus due to a bylaw ban, the goats are back at the Moby Dick Inn — and it seems they may be there to stay.
Owner of the goats and the lot they inhabit, Teresa Lee, is planning to bring petting sessions, during which families will be able to interact with the goats.
Lee was given the green light to keep goats on her property after city council approved a three-year temporary use permit in November 2023.
The goats — a nanny and two kids — are yet to be named, but Lee is just excited to have them on her property.
Lee — owner of the Moby Dick Inn and other hotels in the city — brought her three new goats in late March. She is aiming to hold the first interactive event with the goats at Seafest in June, to give them enough time to get comfortable in their new home.
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The bylaw saga began when Lee first brought goats to provide maintenance for the overgrown empty lot in the spring of 2019, though the horned animals quickly became local sensations on social media. Lee was swiftly given orders to remove the goats from the property by the city under a bylaw that banned hooved animals within the city.
Further talks with the city led Lee to mistakenly believe she was able to bring goats back to her property. However, she was again threatened with a fine when she brought two new goats to the lot in the summer of 2023.
After some discussion at a November 2023 city council meeting, council decided Lee had an adequate plan and proper shelter to care for the goats.
Despite the special dispensation through the temporary use permit, there has yet to be discussion of whether the bylaw should be changed.
Lee said the petting events will be free, but donations can be made to the Prince Rupert Wildlife Centre.
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