A baby goat believed to be stolen from the backyard of a Volusia County home and now her owners are asking the public for help to try and get little “Nelly” back.
Mechelle Gallyot-McDonald has been heartbroken since Sunday morning when she noticed her 3-month-old pygmy goat Nelly was missing from her home on South Chandler Avenue.
“The breeder who was coming out to de-worm her and show me how to trim the hooves…we come out back and Nelly’s gone,” said Gallyot-McDonald.
Nelly stayed in the family’s backyard tethered to a dog run. Mechelle came home from church to find Nelly's harness, along with its locks and clips to prevent an escape.
Mechelle’s daughter is unable to have most dairy products, so she bought Nelly to help solve the problem. “Once she gets to be about six months to a year old, you can breed her and she’ll produce the milk and then my daughter can have ice cream and all the normal things a child normally wants.”
A stolen baby goat is just another setback for this mother of two. She’s currently recovering from her third brain surgery and while that has its own challenges, telling her children Nelly is missing won’t be easy.
“This is a pet," Gallyot-McDonald said. "It’s not just a farm animal to them.”
If you have any information on Nelly's whereabouts, contact the DeLand Police Department at (386) 734-1711.