It is never easy to say good-bye to the animals who live with us and touch our lives and hearts in such profound ways. This week we had to say good-bye to Max – a very large goat with a huge spirit. Max was about ten years old and had been with us for about six years. His story was a tough one. He and his friend Gilligan came through horrific trauma together. When they came here, Max had to be carried into our barn as he couldn’t even walk and could only stand on his knees. Gilligan was a little better but both had experienced neglect, hardship, and a serious lack of socialization.

The cause of Max’s inability to walk was due to years of neglect to his feet. The good news was that his x-rays showed that he did not suffer damage to his joints – we had gotten to him in time. Within a few weeks of care and rehab, Max slowly began to be able to stand and walk. Within a year, you would never have known he was the same goat. He and Gilligan both developed better manners and became treasured members of our animal family. They also grew to be quite amazingly large, weighing in at about 280 pounds each.

One of the things that Max loved most was when children came to visit. Both he and Gilligan would run to their stall door and stand up on their hind legs towering over children and adults alike. And then they would gently step down and put their heads out to be petted. The two of them could let children pet them all day with softness and patience. It was incredible to watch.

This past summer, Max had a urinary blockage and had to go to Cornell for surgery. After being there for 3 weeks, he was sent home only to find there was a complication and he had to be rushed back again. Sadly, he had to undergo a second surgery and again stay for another 3 weeks. This time when he came back home all seemed well, yet he still was not as perky and willing to eat as before. More examination and lab work showed problems with his liver. No matter what we tried, and we tried lots of things, it was clear by December that Max was now on hospice care with us.

All of his caretakers went out of their way to shower him with care and his favorite dishes of veggies and things that he most liked to eat. We knew our time with him was coming to a close. And when Max could no longer find joy and comfort in eating and was struggling to keep warm even with a multitude of blankets, we knew it was time to let him move on. It is never ever easy to say good-bye. But we know that Max had been given a second opportunity at life with us. He was able to walk again and live a normal pain-free life for several years. And for that gift, we are most grateful. Max leaves behind his friend Gilligan who really is missing him. And he also leaves a hole in the hearts of his caretakers who spent the last month catering to his every need with love and kindness. Max came to us neglected but left us knowing he was loved. That was the greatest gift of all. For that, we are truly grateful. Run free Max, we sure will miss you.