Profile
Cindy and Jeff Campbell are the owners of GottaGoat Farm, a small goat farm located just outside of Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. Their farm is the home to over 60 goats, although they specialize in raising Miniature Silky Fainting Goats. They also have several rescued horses, over 50 chickens, a wonderful pot bellied pig, a Bull Mastiff dog and a couple of cats. Jeff's primary role is to care for the farm, and although Cindy works outside of the farm as well, she assists in taking care of the animals. In addition to breeding and selling goats, the farm also provides educational farm visits year round, where visitors can expect to not only enjoy the company of the amazing goats, but will also learn many interesting facts about goats in general. You can visit the farm on our website: https://www.gottagoat.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GottaGoat/ or Instagram: @gottagoatfarm
Making the Decision to Evacuate: A Small Farm’s Perspective
We operate a small family-run goat farm located just outside of Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. In the summer of 2022, we made the decision to evacuate all the animals on our farm due to the proximity of a large wildfire (called the Keremeos Creek Wildfire). Even though we volunteer our time with a local animal rescue team who helps with animals impacted by disasters, we didn’t realize all of the decisions we faced. In particular, we want this presentation to share how it “feels” to make those decisions regarding the welfare of your own animals, both before and during an evacuation, as it is completely different than being in the shoes of the “rescuer.” Over the last several years, the severity of natural disasters in our area (such as wildfires and flooding), has grown significantly. Not only would we like to let others know what they can do to prepare for an evacuation, but perhaps by sharing the things which we weren’t aware, we can also help people gain a little more insight into what they might be faced with, and even help to lessen some of the significant stressors during such an experience.