How our team stepped up to foster Jack the Goat and found deeper company friendships along the way
Jack the goat, born to spread love and joy, came into this world on Valentine’s Day 2022. Our Chief Technology Officer, J.R. Mayer and his wife, Natalie, took Jack in as he was born to a younger mom who was not ready to care for him.
J.R. brought him into one of our CityVet clinics for a routine check up. J.R. was already raising a few adult goats and Jack was not taking too well to the environment. He mentioned this to the CityVet team and just like a true work family, Krina, our Controller, stepped up to the challenge to foster Jack until he was ready to play with the big boys and girls.
“I think we can do this. We’ve got a big yard, a friendly dog, and this sounds like fun!” – Krina.
At first it was a little daunting, but once Krina and her husband brought Jack home, fears subsided with how easy the process was. What was meant to be fostering for a few days, quickly turned into six weeks. The most rewarding aspect of bringing Jack home was the relationship it fostered within the team at CityVet. J.R. and Krina continued to communicate updates about Jack and share photos with each other.
“It’s been fun to share this adventure with them. There are so many amazing people who work at CityVet, both within the leadership team and in the clinics, and this was a fun way to deepen our friendship and really further the CityVet ‘We are Family’ and ‘Just Wag’ values together.” – Krina
Goats and other Animals
Krina also has a blue heeler mix named Oliver. When Jack and Oliver first met, it was as if something new came alive in Oliver. He has always been great with kids and other pets, but Oliver stepped up to the plate and started watching over Jack. Jack became Oliver’s shadow for the six weeks he was fostered and Oliver would make sure Jack never wandered off too far or that other dogs were never too rough with him. They were the perfect pair of foster brothers.
Considering Fostering a Goat?
Goats are cute and cuddly, but they are not used to things like potty training or knowing what is safe and not safe to eat. They require a lot of supervision and attention, and without it, they can easily be put into danger as they like to explore everything and eat just about everything – shoelaces, plastic bags, electrical wires, plants, books, you name it. While Jack thrived during this early period, he was most happy when he was reunited with J.R. and his family of goats. At eight weeks old, he was happy and healthy, eating solid foods, and confident in his environment.
Where is Jack now?
Jack now lives at a ranch out in Rice, TX. He is going to be a petting animal for children at churches, hospitals and schools, the perfect job for his fun, loving, and outgoing character and personality. Just like Krina says “You can’t have a bad day while petting a goat! Knowing that J.R. will continue to spread joy and happiness with Jack is probably my favorite part of this whole experience.”