Watch CBS News

Officials Order Removal Of Goats From Detroit Lots

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A group of goats are getting evicted from city-owned weedy lots in a Detroit neighborhood.

Animal control officials on Friday told the owner of a recently opened goat farm in the Brightmoor neighborhood to remove the barnyard regulars, according to a report in The Detroit News.

At issue -- organizers apparently never got approval from the city.

Idyll Farms in Leelanau County's Northport set up 18 goats Thursday in the northwest Detroit neighborhood with a plan to have them eat tall weeds and other vegetation in one of Detroit's most desperate areas.

Project consultant Leonard Pollara told the newspaper that organizers have spent more than a year working on the project and have received a lot of neighborhood support.

Pollara said the goats will be gone by Monday and taken to market for sale. Proceeds will go to nonprofits in the neighborhood.

While they're cooperating with authorities, Pollara said the fight is not over. Organizers are working a long-term effort to revive the city that would include zoning for such things as small farms in blighted areas.

"The city has designated areas for these type of projects, but the ordinances have not yet been adjusted to fit those plans," she said.

RELATED: Detroit Looks At Goats, Sheep To Trim Overgrown Lots

TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.