Watch CBS News

Call Kurtis: I Was Sold a Sick Baby Goat That Died

IONE (CBS13) — Always wanting a goat, Mariah Stoddard's boyfriend bought her a Nigerian dwarf goat as a birthday gift.

The Nigerian goat is one of those small goats that jump all over the place full of energy.

Stoddard named her new gift Penelope and felt the goat would fit right in with the ducks, roosters, bunnies, and the rest of the animals on the family farm.

"I can't describe how amazing it was with her," said Stoddard.

But she says within three days of getting Penelope, the goat showed signs of being sick.

When Stoddard took Penelope to a veterinarian, she was told the animal had parasites and pneumonia.

"She was really bad. I didn't even think she was going to make it the first day," said Stoddard.

In the weeks to follow, she spent almost $2,000 in vet bills, but sadly after a 4-week battle Penelope couldn't be saved.

Stoddard says, "It's just really hard," trying to cope with the loss of her baby goat and the loss of funds that could have gone to take care of the other animals on the farm.

California law protects consumers who buy a dog from a breeder. If the dog gets sick within 15 days, the breeder may have to pay part, or all of the vet bills and may owe you a refund.

But unfortunately, for Stoddard, the law says nothing about goats, but attorney Jacqueline Siemens says in court you could argue that those same laws should apply.

RELATED: Guidelines For Responsible Pet Ownership

Siemens recommends having a pet examined before you buy it and request all vet records. At a minimum have the seller write down what he or she is willing to do if there are health problems.

"She fell in love with an animal that potentially was not going to live very long. And that's heartbreaking," said Siemens.

The seller did refund Stoddard $100 of the $150 her boyfriend spent, but it doesn't cover the thousands of dollars in vet bills or bring back her precious Penelope.

In the brief time, Stoddard spent with her beloved Penelope, "I felt like her mommy," she said.

Stoddard says the seller did say something about Penelope's brother getting sick and to keep an eye on her.

But she feels that was not full disclosure and feels the seller knew Penelope was sick.

Siemens says Stoddard could sue in small claims court to try and recover the cost of the vet bills.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.