Tell me if I'm crazy for wanting goats in Los Angeles. PLEASE

[IamRainey]

I have just begun thinking about getting a pair of female pygmy goats as pets on my 1/2 acre suburban lot in the San Fernando Valley outside Los Angeles. I don't want to milk them. I just want pets.

I don't know yet if I'm zoned for goats -- I'm not even sure how to find out. I don't know yet if pygmy goats would be so noisy my neighbors will hate me. I don't know yet how they'd get along with my 7 chickens -- they'd be in pretty close quarters with one another. I don't know what the smell would be like. BUT, I want some pygmy goats.

Can anyone educate me on what it would be like? I've never heard of anyone in my area having any.

 

[cavemanrich]

Check with City Hall and inquire about keeping Livestock. Goats would be considered livestock in most municipalities. Chickens are often placed in a different category and are allowed. In a town next to me chickens are considered live stock, and town prohibits them as well.
WISHING YOU BEST.......

 

[Latestarter]

There are a BUNCH of goat enablers over on the sister site www.backyardherds.com
Several who live in CA in fact. I suggest you head over there immediately and receive the support you obviously need to proceed with this wonderful endeavor!

Just to be clear, I have the same name over there and I own Lamancha goats

 

[cassie]

Just a comment. While goats are generally considered to be livestock, in many municipalities they are classified as pets and different laws apply.

 

[IamRainey]

I have found out that goats are considered "livestock" in LA. But I haven't found out yet what the regulations are concerning livestock.

It would be wonderful if zoning regulations were written in human language...

 

[cassie]

Keep researching. Under the law, there are goats and then there are goats. Full size goats are considered livestock everywhere. Just like pigs are considered livestock. However, in many areas pygmy goats and miniature pigs are considered, for legal reasons, pets. If you just ask about goats without being more specific, you are going to receive answers pertaining to livestock.

 

[bajabirdbrain]

"Tell me if I'm crazy for wanting goats in Los Angeles. PLEASE"

Ok, you are crazy!

 

[IamRainey]

I think I AM, bajabirdbrain. But I've crossed my first hurdle. I heard from my city council person that I am zoned to have a couple goats if they're pets and not used commercially.

Next thing I need is the whole truth about the up and down sides of being an amateur goat herd. I'm headed over to the backyard herding site that Latestarter mentioned to get the deets.

Then comes the toughest part of all: convincing my husband that this really is a good idea.

Then all I'll have to do is change my screen name to Marie Antoinette 2018.

 

[Latestarter]

 

[Latestarter]

Seriously, goats are great! They're so much like dogs. They really do make great pets.