By Beau Bowman
University of Iowa officials released a statement last week saying the cost of the search for an escaped goat was just under $10,000.
The goat escaped on Jan. 29 while officials were transporting it to a vehicle at the UI Research Park in Coralville.
Stephen Pradarelli, the strategic communications director for the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, released a statement to The Daily Iowan detailing the financial cost of retrieving the goat.
“Staff time is time UI staff spent locating and recovering the goat,” he said in the email. “Business continuity is for expenses related to maintaining lab operation in the midst of the situation, as well as putting in place some facilities enhancements at the location where the incident occurred to prevent it from happening again. Beyond that, we don’t have a full breakdown. Expenses are still being determined but likely to total less than $10,000.”
Pradarelli also said in the email that after capture, the goat was returned to the research study.
The Coralville police played a big role in the capturing of the goat. After a long search mission, the police responded to two goat sightings before it was finally captured.
Coralville Police Chief Barry Bedford said the Coralville police and UI officials found the goat underneath a deck area, but it got spooked and took off running.
“It’s not like the goat is walking down the street,” he said. “It had a tendency to keep coming back close to this area, and we got the word out.”
The goat was caught on Feb.8, 10 days after its escape.
The Research Park said the research being done on the goat was potentially painful, but it was under anesthetics and numerous pain relievers.
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The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have called for an investigation of the UI regarding the handling of the goat. PETA said the animal’s escape was the result of violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
Alka Chandna, a PETA senior laboratory oversight specialist, said the group wants the goat to be transported to a reputable sanctuary.
She said PETA’s issue with the university is its failure to comply with federal law governing the treatment of animals used in experimentation.
The goat was nicknamed William by a Twitter parody account that was created to track its whereabouts.
“William’s escape indicates that he had not been safely confined in the enclosure used for transportation,” Chandna said. “As a result of the escape, William spent 10 days exposed to Coralville’s freezing temperatures, alone, frightened, confused, and very likely hungry and thirsty.”
