Elderly goats face eviction after Franconia zoning ruling, sparking backlash and petition, owners seek variance to let animals live out their remaining years
A pair of elderly goats that have lived quietly in Franconia Township for more than a decade are at the center of a growing controversy after the township’s zoning hearing board denied a request that would allow the animals to remain on their longtime property.
According to WHYY, the goats, known as Tommy and Bam-Bam, belong to longtime township resident Ken Schumann, who has kept goats on his one-third-acre property since 2000. Township officials cited Schumann earlier this year for violating zoning regulations that prohibit livestock on properties smaller than three acres, a determination that ultimately led to a zoning hearing and a denial of relief in early December, per the report.
According to Schumann, township officials had visited his property numerous times over the past two decades for unrelated inspections, during which the goats were visible, yet no warnings or enforcement actions were issued until this spring.
The citation, he told WHYY, stemmed from complaints received by the township. Schumann acknowledged that the goats had escaped their enclosure multiple times while fencing repairs were underway, at times wandering onto a neighboring property.
Schumann appealed the zoning decision at a cost of $1,800, asking the board to grant a one-time variance that would allow the goats to remain until the end of their natural lives, according to the article.
At about 15 and 10 years old, the animals are considered near the end of their life expectancy. The board denied the request at a Dec. 4 hearing.
With the ruling in place, Schumann said his options are to rehome the goats or pursue further legal action, a prospect he and his wife, Kathleen, are weighing carefully as retirees on a fixed income. He said the couple is considering setting up a crowdfunding campaign to help offset potential legal costs.
The decision has drawn significant public attention. As of Thursday, more than 2,000 people had signed an online petition, started by Schumann's niece Sherri Davis, urging the township to allow the goats to remain on the property, with commenters describing the animals as harmless, beloved by neighbors, and part of the community fabric. Several petition signers identified themselves as Franconia Township residents and called for compassion, compromise, or mediation rather than removal.
One Change.org signer commented on the petition that the situation was an opportunity for Franconia to educate children on the wonders of goats and farms, to show enlightenment and compassion of Franconia residents, and to use it as a chance to clean up weeds and clear overgrown lots in the township.
"Goats are not just intelligent, loving beings suitable as pets, friends and family. They produce milk to make cheese. They process unwanted foliage. They fertilize the ground. They provide a means to educate children about animals, animal husbandry, and farming. It would be simple to allow the goats to stay on the Schumann’s property until they meet the end of their days. But why not take a better more productive path?" wrote the petitioner. "Change the zoning laws to allow goats, chickens, bees, and other livestock on properties 1/3 acre or greater."
Another petitioner who identified themselves as a township resident, said it is the township's fault for any oversight of the goats on the numerous visits to the property.
"Compromise and ask that the owners submit plans for the welfare of the animals (enclosure proficiency, manure management, etc.) as a consolation to letting these goats live out their final time with their family. The cruelty lies in taking these animals out of their known environment. You effectively euthanize an elderly animal with these kinds of actions," wrote the resident.
A GoFundMe to help Schumann to keep his goats has raised $1,355 toward the $4,000 goal
Schumann said he considers Tommy and Bam-Bam domestic pets rather than livestock, noting that they are not used for agricultural purposes and have been part of neighborhood life for years. He added that the goats have regularly interacted with children at a nearby daycare, where he has brought them to the fence so children could pet them.
If he had known the goats were prohibited, Schumann said, he would not have acquired additional animals after earlier goats passed away, including Bam-Bam as a young goat or Tommy, a retired therapy animal he adopted in 2015.
For now, Tommy and Bam-Bam remain on the property as Schumann weighs his next steps, while public pressure continues to mount for the township to reconsider the ruling or explore alternative solutions, per the article.
Read more on the situation here.
Sign the Change.org petition here.
