Baby goats dumped in bin recovering well

Two baby goats found dumped in a bin are recovering well following their "poor start" to life, according those looking after them.

The newborns, named after waste management companies Veolia and Biffa, were discovered abandoned at the end of a driveway on Monday and taken to Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats in Maidstone, Kent.

Just a few hours old, with their umbilical cords still wet, the brother and sister were freezing cold and exhibited walking and breathing difficulties.

Ben Ward, from the sanctuary, said the pair had "come a long way" and that "the signs all seemed positive" for their future.

"The male, Biffa, had raspy-sounding lungs and seemed quite lethargic when he first came to us," said Mr Ward.

"But he's improved a lot since then and is behaving a lot more kid-like now.

"In fact, both goats had a very poor start and were lacking the vital nutrients they need at that early stage.

"But everything is looking much better now - a happy end to a not-so-great story."

The pair are now bottle-fed while snuggled up under heat lamps and surrounded by thick straw - a world away from the bitter conditions they started out in.

Mr Ward said the kids' plight had even gone international, with news outlets as far afield as Germany sharing the tale of their rescue.

"We've also had donations from the refuse companies which we named the goats after," he said.

"Some of the staff there were so touched hearing about Veolia and Biffa that they've even enquired about possibly volunteering at the sanctuary."

He added: "This story has really resonated with lots of people, and that can only be a good thing.

"We all now really need to make a conscious effort to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen again."

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