“My mantras are: ‘An only goat is a lonely goat,’ and ‘Adopt, don’t shop,’” founder and director Barbara Jamison said. But before a goat can be adopted, the team at Puget Sound needs to make sure it’s healthy and strong—a process that involves capturing its weight to measure whether it’s growing properly. A Rice Lake Weighing Systems RoughDeck floor scale helps keep the goats of Puget Sound healthy and one step closer to finding their forever home.

So, once a goat is determined to be in good health, what makes for a successful adoption? According to Barbara, ideal candidates are local families with hobby farms, retirees or empty-nesters. “[People] that want a fun pasture pet to play with,” Barbara elaborated.

Weight Means Growth, Growth Means Health

Before a goat can become a pet, volunteers at Puget Sound ensure it’s happy, strong and healthy. According to Barbara, a healthy goat grows fast, so it’s important for weight to be recorded frequently. Growth spurts are common when a goat is young, but eventually taper off.

Prior to receiving the RoughDeck, volunteers at Puget Sound merely estimated the goats’ weight. “It’s hard to tell [weight] just by looking at them every day,” Barbara said. If estimation wasn’t possible, she and her team could stand on a health scale intended for humans and hold it in their arms to capture weight. “It only worked with small goats,” Barbara laughed.

Puget Sound rarely has a shortage of “small goats.” In May 2019, Puget Sound hosted 78 baby goats, primarily male. Breeders prioritize female goats because they can continue the reproductive cycle. According to Barbara, peak intake seasons are fall and winter, when goats belonging to dairy farms and breeders give birth. “Breeders only want females for dairy…It’s a tough thing for little boy goats because they make excellent pets too,” Barbara said. “Boy goats don’t smell or act rudely like many people think. They just need to be neutered, and all of our boy goats are before they’re adopted.” In addition to taking in surrendered goats, volunteers at Puget Sound also rescue goats in need of protection, whether it’s from slaughter, auction or neglect.

RoughDeck Rehabilitation

Puget Sound now uses a Rice Lake RoughDeck floor scale to weigh the goats, meaning medicinal doses are more accurate and limited resources will be conserved. “[The scale] has been amazing,” Barbara said. “Now, we can just walk them on a scale and easily tell if they’re gaining weight, which is a good sign.” The RoughDeck is supported by a Rice Lake MSI-8000, a bright, easy-to-read remote display for communicating weight information. 

But when Puget Sound was first conceptualized, weighing technology wasn’t quite so advanced. Barbara founded the rescue farm in 2001 after purchasing eight acres of land. Since then, Puget Sound has rescued more than 2,300 goats. It’s no wonder Barbara supervises between 60 and 70 volunteers, seven days a week. “We’re very lucky,” she said. “We couldn’t do it without them.”

They’ve since expanded to include a second farm, about four miles away, as well as a handful of foster farms used for overflow. Expansion was necessary— goats are taken in year-round, and according to Barbara, volunteers at Puget Sound care for more than 100 goats at any given time.

“We don’t let them go just to clear brush,” Barbara said. “Once the brush is cleared, we want them to still have a place to live. We want them to have a permanent home.” With the help of a RoughDeck and an MSI-8000, the goats of Puget Sound will be strong and healthy when they make it to the place they’ll spend the rest of their lives.