In a bizarre turn of events, an escaped mountain goat found itself trapped under a Kansas City bridge, captivating the hearts of the city’s residents. The question on everyone’s mind: could this be the missing goat named Chug, stolen from a farm two months ago?
The goat’s precarious situation drew the attention of passersby, who spotted the animal hopping along the bridge’s support pillars, high above the ground. As concerned citizens and authorities attempted to guide the goat to safety, a well-meaning driver managed to loop a rope around its neck. However, this act of kindness quickly turned into a potentially deadly situation.
Firefighters, in a daring rescue attempt, rappelled over the side of the bridge to capture the goat. But how did their efforts unfold, and what were the consequences for the frightened animal? According to Tori Fugate of the KC Pet Project, the goat, startled by the firefighters’ presence, attempted to jump to the next platform. In a heart-stopping moment, its hooves slipped, causing the rope to catch and leaving the goat hanging motionless from its neck.
Quick thinking by the firefighters created slack in the rope, allowing the goat to fall up to 15 feet onto a padded area below. But what injuries did the goat sustain from such a harrowing fall? Miraculously, Fugate said that the X-rays revealed no broken bones, despite the goat having been traversing bridge supports up to 80 feet above the ground.
The goat’s adventure, however, began long before this dramatic rescue. According to Fugate, this was the same goat that entered the shelter as a stray on March 13, was adopted, and then promptly escaped its new home.
“Thanks to his media fame, yesterday we had somebody reach out and they said that he is very similar to their goat that went missing back in February,” she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.