Help Feta heal her wounds and heart

Hi friends,

I am raising funds to support my sweet goat Feta's growing medical bills after getting attacked by a dog and hopefully also save up for another goat companion (which can cost $500-650 for one female goat like her) since she lost her sister to the brutal and fatal attack. :'(

We also will need a ton of extra hay ~ they eat 5 pounds of roughage a day ~ as we have had to close off their pen to their grazing field until further notice since that is where the dog somehow got into and attacked my girls, and killing Gouda.

A few super kind friends encouraged me to create this page as they have been following our story on social media and wanted a way to help and donate which is so sweet and brings me to tears. Everyone who has met my sweet goats, Gouda and Feta, has loved them. I have been so touched by everyone's love and generosity over the past couple of days.

I feel a little funny about setting this up and don't even know what to ask for in terms of a financial "goal." I would be beyond moved by anything and also don't expect anything at all as ultimately all of her care is my responsibility (and truly my honor, too!).

Our hearts are completely BROKEN and both Feta and I are devastated. Here is our story:

I adopted these two sister goats, Feta and Gouda, when they were 7 months old from someone who lost their home in the California fires in 2020. They are/were three years old now and were the BEST of friends. Completely inseparable. Never more than a few feet from each other.

Two days ago I came home from the store and, as always, my goats call to me when my car pulls up. When I got out I heard the most disturbing cry and I immediately dropped everything and ran down to their pen. Feta (the white/cream girl) was covered in blood and bleeding from the neck laying in her shelter. Gouda (her sister and BFF) was nowhere to be found. These two are NEVER apart so I knew that this was a terrible sign. I wandered out into the grazing field to find Gouda dead with her guts ripped out. I am traumatized and shattered by what I saw and so is Feta.

I called the local feed store to ask for help as I didn't know how bad Feta's neck wound was. They gave me a contact and a vet came out to the house within 20 minutes. He was a complete ANGEL and able to help her. She has bite wounds on her neck, on her head and left shoulder. He confirmed by the size of the teeth marks and bites and the nature of the attack (not eating the goat but just killing and ripping her apart) that it was a large dog attack. Coyote teeth are much smaller, he said. There is a large dog that is on a property that butts up to our field although we have not confirmed for sure it was this dog; we did see the owner looking for and calling for her dog later that night on the fence line of the grazing field and there are no other dogs near our house.

I now have to give Feta pain meds every 12 hours, flush out her wounds with medicine every day and inject her with antibiotics every 3 days. She has had two vet visits so far that have cost well over $1k and counting. She is shaking, shocked and depressed wondering where her partner in crime is. It is utterly heartbreaking for all of us. She is scared to leave her shelter (which she usually prefers not to be in) and is missing her sister deeply. She had never spent a night alone ever until now. It makes it hard for me to sleep knowing she's alone, in pain physically and emotionally.

These Nigerian Dwarf goats are extremely social, sweet and loving animals. They are meant to have companions. They become extremely depressed when they are alone. They don't just love each other but love their humans. Last week when they got out of their pen because the storm blew part of their fence over, they ran to my front door and knocked on it with their heads to say hi. They know just where to find their people and are happy to see you! They are so smart and remember things. I never knew I could receive so much love from goats!

Between vet bills, nurising Feta back to health, having to redo everything with their pen to reinforce her safety to make sure no predator can ever get to them again, plus find Feta a new companion, it is a lot of added financial stress on top of the mental and emotional stress.

I can't imagine giving Feta up and putting her in a new unfamiliar environment without her sister or my familiar voice, love and care ....too many changes all at once especially after being so extremely traumatized. Yet if I can't get her what she needs I will have to make hard decisions. Ultimately, I will do whatever is best for her health, safety and emotional well-being. But I am hoping to be able to provide her with everything she needs here at her home.

If you feel called to help us, please keep us in your prayers. That is more than enough. If you feel called to donate, here is the spot. I am so overwhelmed already by the outpouring of love and support near and far. It keeps me in tears, the phone calls, messages and love I keep receiving. My goats mean the world to me and it touches me so deeply that you care about them too.

You can follow Feta's healing journey on my IG stories: @RNichols

Feta is swollen, sore and scared but slowly making some progress ~ and one of my favorite photos of her below that.

Thank you for caring enough to read our story. That is also beyond enough.

May Gouda's sweet soul transition to the other side in peace, and may she be greeted with all the oats and soft tortillas her belly can hold. Love you and miss you forever, sweet girl.

With love,

Rachel and Feta