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So you found a San Clemente Island goat, but she's 800 miles away. What now?
Geographical distribution is the biggest problem faced by San Clemente Island goats. We need to fix that.
Getting Ready
First of all, if you're going to ship in an adult doe, you might as well get a pregnant one. After all, her mate is going to be hundreds of miles away, so you've already made the first step to diversify the gene pool, because whatever buck you're hoping to get won't be related to the mother or her daughters (hopefully). Don't expect any guarantee of pregnancy or delivery—goat pregnancy testing can be a liitle "iffy" to begin with.
But if you let a breeder know that you're hoping for a pregnant doe, most of them will oblige as best as they can.
You may prefer to ship kids. . . they're small and easy, and will probably sleep for the entire journey.
As we add states to the Breeder Map page, we also add import regulations. If you'd like us to put your state's goat import regulations on there, please contact us.
You don't want to bring cooties home, so you may wish to ask the breeder to deworm before the goat ships out. If they deworm 3 days before shipment, it will reduce the physical stress on the goat. Avoid vaccinating immediately proceding or following shipping, as this could add to the stress.
Make sure your goat's home is completely ready for arrival. A bucket of warm water with molasses mixed in can be a nice treat to help settle her in. Keep it peaceful, and reduce her stress however possible. Don't be worried if there's an asymptomatic flare-up of coccidia upon arrival—it should settle down as your goat settles in, but keep a tight eye on all aspects of her health.
Transport Options
Here are a few shipping possibilities:
Driving
If you're going to make a road trip, you might want to check to see whether there are any other prospective breeders in your area. You could bring them a goat, too, and they could pitch in for gas money. If you'd like to explore this option, but don't know who to ask, contact us—we have a rather long list of people who'd like to breed San Clemente Island goats.
As San Clemente Island goats are so small, they fit pretty easily in any compartment that would hold a very large dog, unless you're shipping a buck who has large horns. They usually travel quietly. Kids are extremely easy to transport, and will usually sleep the whole time (goat kids, we mean!).
If you use a pick-up truck, be aware of wind chill, and whether or not your tarp is going to act as a wind tunnel.
Hired Trailer
You may wish to hire someone to ship your goat in a trailer.
Ron Keener offers this service for small ruminants, and has experience with heritage breeds. Keener goes nationwide, but develops his route according to demand. His pricing (ballpark) is about $500 for the first goat to travel about 1000 miles, but after that each added goat is rather cheap (about $50). He may be able to add you onto the route at the last minute if he's going to be 'in the neighborhood,' but your best bet is to contact him at least a month in advance. Keener is open to segregating your goat if you'd rather it didn't rub noses with the other animals on board.
Ron Keener's website is at www.travelwithronk.com
Train
Amtrak accepts service animals only. Nice idea, though.
Airplane
Airlines will ship goats. This is a very good option if you want to buy a kid. Each goat must be accompanied by health papers and be in an approved dog crate etc. Make sure you tape a ziplock bag of goat chow to the top of the crate in case of some kind of delay. You can fly a 14-week old San Clemente Island goat far or near for about $200 on Delta, which usually has the lowest prices.
Delta makes it pretty easy to check the status of your travelling goat. Their pet cargo number is 1–888–736–3738.
Delta's pet web page is at www.delta.com/planning_reservations/special_travel_needs/pet_travel_information
Continental's PetSafe number is 1–800–575–3335
Continental's cargo website is at www.continental.com
America West, Independance Air, Jet Blue, United Airlines, and US Airways do not ship goats.
Reviews
We have had 2 goats shipped on Delta, both did very well, and the customer service and animal care were excellent.
If you would like to post a review of services used, please contact us.
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Contact Us
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San Clemente Island Goat Association
3037 Halfway Road
The Plains, VA 20198
540–687–8871
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