Farmer 'devastated' at theft of pygmy goat Archie

3 hours ago

Isaac Asheand

Sam French,Leicester

News image — Matt Rogers said he had been sleeping at the farm since the break-in to keep the other animals, including Archie's brother Arthur, safe

Supplied A man cradling a goat inside a farm enclosure — Matt Rogers said he had been sleeping at the farm since the break-in to keep the other animals, including Archie's brother Arthur, safe

"Just return the goat."

Matt Rogers has appealed for the return of five-year-old Archie after he was stolen overnight from his farm in Cropston, Leicestershire, on Monday.

Rogers said the theft had left his family angry and Archie's twin brother, Arthur, distraught.

On Monday, the Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Policing Team appealed to the perpertrators to "make yourself known to us or return the goat safely to its home".

Rogers said Archie had been with Arthur and another goat, named Merry, when he was taken from the farm, which is also home to Anstey Alpacas, an alternative educational provision.

Police said Arthur was now "repeatedly bleating for its missing sibling", and urged the culprits to "do the right thing" and return the animal.

Rogers added: "They're always together.

"If one goes on a walk, the brother has to go with it, or they're always calling to one another.

"The remaining twin is completely upset. He's subdued, confused by it all."

Anstey Alpacas A close up of a white goat with a brown patch on his nose — Pygmy goat Archie "vanished" from a secure enclosure, leaving two others behind, said Rogers

Anstey Alpacas is a small farm which offers animal therapy and respite to students, teaching to rear and care for livestock, including alpacas, poultry, donkeys, pigs and sheep.

Rogers told the BBC that it was a student who first noticed that Archie had "completely vanished".

He said: "One of the students said 'why are there only two pygmy goats in here?'

"We said 'don't be silly', but when we checked ourselves we couldn't find it.

"There was no way for the goat to escape, everything had been locked up as we had left it, which it makes it more suspicious."

He added that whoever came on to the Bradgate Road site had also released their rabbits, which were loose in the lambing shelter.

Supplied Two small white goats stood side-by-side on a pallet inside a muddy enclosure — Arthur, left, has been bleating for his missing brother

Rogers said the incident had "devastated" the students and left his family and the farm's volunteers "angry and upset".

Work is now taking place to upgrade security and install CCTV, with Rogers sleeping at the site until it can be secured.

He said: "Just return the goat, that's all we want. Everyone, the students, the volunteers, my family, will be so much happier, and the twins can be reunited."

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