Riley became ill suddenly, and despite every effort to save her, including emergency care at Cornell University’s Hospital for Animals, her little body could not recover. An autopsy later revealed that an uncommon bacterium, while not infectious, had taken too great a toll on her system. We are deeply grateful to the dedicated team at Cornell for the compassion and excellent care they showed Riley during her time with them.

Riley’s story began here at Lollypop Farm when her mother, Joy, was surrendered to us while heavily pregnant. Soon after, Joy gave birth to triplets: Riley, Phyllis, and Bing Bong. While Phyllis and Bing Bong found a loving adoptive home, Riley and Joy showed an extraordinary bond with people. Their gentle natures and love of attention made them perfect candidates to remain at Lollypop Farm as permanent residents and ambassadors for their species.

Riley touched countless lives. She greeted children at Summer Camp, delighted school field trip groups, and brightened the days of donors and visitors alike. Beyond her sweet and playful spirit, Riley served an important role by teaching people about goats, farm animal care, and the bond between humans and animals.

Though her time with us was far too short, Riley made an unforgettable impact. She will be dearly missed by her Lollypop Farm family, along with the many visitors she met. Her mother, Joy, continues to live here on the farm with her fellow resident goats.

Riley’s legacy will live on in the lessons she taught and the joy she brought to so many.

Our staff was quick to share their memories and thoughts, further demonstrating Riley’s impact:

Mary, Farm Manager – “From the moment Riley was born, you could tell she was special. She made every child and adult smile who met her. She was a very lucky girl, because she knew nothing but love her entire life.”

Calen, Farm Caretaker – “Riley brought such a strong presence to the farm. Although she was the smallest of the goats, her personality was quite the opposite. She was smart, she made you laugh, she was sassy, and she definitely knew how adorable she was. She was captivating. Riley was loved and adored from the moment she was born to the day we had to say goodbye. She is missed every day, but with every “remember when __”, her presence still is and will always be at Lollypop Farm. Thanks for making our days brighter, Riley.”

Emily, Farm Caretaker – “The world feels different without Riley’s presence, but her memory is woven into every corner of the farm. We will miss her morning greetings when she used to tell us that we were going too slow at feeding time. Riley wasn’t just a goat, she was family—and the farm feels a little quieter without her.”

Alyssa, Humane Education Program Supervisor – “Riley made an immediate and lasting impact on everyone she met, easily bringing smiles to children and adults alike. Alongside Joy, Riley was a staple of our programs, teaching countless students, campers, and adults about the importance of animal consent and agency. Her presence ensured these essential lessons were engaging and unforgettable. She brought so much happiness to our students, shelter helpers, campers, and humane educators, and she will be profoundly missed by the entire Education Team and every child who learned from her.”

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Due to their sweet natures, we decided to try and see if they would enjoy being animal ambassadors here at Lollypop Farm. Once Bing Bong and Phyllis were old enough, they were adopted to the perfect home together with a slightly older goat “brother” to spar with. This meant Joy and Riley could begin their training.

Animal ambassadors are animals that are hand-picked for being extra friendly around people. With their help, animal care staff can demonstrate and educate people about animals and their needs. Joy and Riley both have proven time and time again that they are gentle and love attention from all people. This makes them the perfect ambassadors to engage children and adults in modeling empathy, compassion, and respect toward farm animals.

Joy and Riley took to ambassador training very easily, and made their debut at the Telethon earlier this year. You probably saw them on camera! But this summer, Joy and Riley took on the exciting role of teaching Lollypop Farm Campers all about goats! They walked into the classrooms and made their way around the room to each child, allowing the campers to pet them as they walked by. After every child had a chance to pet them, they stood quietly while the farm staff answered questions about the goats. This was a great opportunity for campers to learn more about animals they may have limited exposure to and what care they need. Interactions like this will help campers learn empathy for years to come, as a happy memory at Lollypop Farm camp.

Joy and Riley have been wonderful additions to the farm team so far, and they will continue to represent the animals on the farmyard for as long as they enjoy it. Their sweet demeanors make them perfect ambassadors for children and adults alike. Keep an eye out for opportunities to meet these sweethearts through humane education and farm programming.

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On an unseasonably warm afternoon in late December, we welcomed the arrival of Noel and Harvey, two beautiful baby goats born at Lollypop Farm.

Rescued from deplorable conditions

The two nannies (another word for mother goats), Katrina and Darcy, originally came to us in July when the organization assisted the Albany County Sheriff’s Office and the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society in the seizure of 27 goats, three horses, and one llama. The animals were part of a case involving over 120 animals found living in deplorable conditions in Westerlo, NY. As one of the only humane societies in the region able to care for farmyard animals, Lollypop Farm is often called upon to assist in farmyard hoarding cases.

Both babies were born on the farm, and the two little families were brought into our indoor barn where they could be monitored by our farm and clinic staff. Baby Harvey had a black coat with grey and white speckled ears, and little Noel was pure white, just like her mother.

A third surprise

Little did we know, we were in for one more surprise from these 27 goats. On December 21, the very next day, Lollypop Farm welcomed yet another baby goat! Leia was also born to one of the goats rescued from the Westerlo hoarding case.

“These types of cruelty cases are difficult for everyone involved, especially when the moms had been neglected so badly,” says Farm and Safety Manager Joanna Dychton. “But because of everyone’s combined efforts, these babies will have shelter, veterinary services, and the care they need for a fresh start.”

A few weeks later

The baby goats are now a few weeks old, and already getting up to all sorts of antics – jumping up and down on stairs and obstacles provided for their entertainment, playfully head-butting each other, and even attempting to hop on top of their moms!

Of the animals transported to Lollypop Farm from this case, 13 have already found new happy homes. The nannies and kids born in December will need some more care, and will not be made available for adoption for a couple of months. If you’re interested in adopting, your property must be zoned for farm animals and we recommend that you must currently own a goat or adopt multiple goats. Being part of a group is important for their happiness and socialization. At this time, we’re asking all interested adopters to fill out an application and send it to farm@lollypop.org.

Stop by the indoor barn at Lollypop Farm to catch a glimpse at these adorable baby goats, and make sure to explore the farm yard to meet their friends!

Interested in providing care for these babies? Donate now: www.lollypop.org/babygoats

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This 1-month-old Nubian goat was brought to our doors after he was found wandering, alone on the highway in the middle of the night. Batman (named by our staff in honor of his night-time adventures) was picked up by a good samaritan who realized that he was in imminent danger.  She took him home and made him comfortable for the evening, and the next morning brought him to Lollypop Farm. While we’re still not sure where this little goat came from, we know where he’s headed – a happy home.

When Batman first arrived at Lollypop Farm, his photo was shared on our Lollypop Spotters Facebook page in an attempt to connect with anyone who may be missing him.  We had no way of knowing where he had come from, or how he ended up on the thruway in the middle of the night. The ID tag in his ear indicated that there was a possibility he had come from an auction, but upon calling the USDA and animal control, we still didn’t have much to go off of. Female Nubian goats are generally associated with the dairy industry – a sector which doesn’t have much use for males, and they are often sold as meat. At first, Batman was very quiet and withdrawn – clearly shaken by his experience. We brought in a large animal veterinarian to make sure he was not injured, and the vet assured us that he was in good health. Whereever Batman came from, he had at least been well-fed.

Batman was so young that we quickly realized he would need to be bottle-fed several times a day. Baby Nubian goats generally nurse for 6 – 8 weeks.  Luckily, he took right to the bottle! Batman quickly became an active character around the shelter. He started joining farm staff for meetings so that they could feed him and keep an eye on him. “Daily life for Batman at Lollypop Farm starts with preparing a bottle. Once the bottle is ready, he comes into the office with us and we have a little staff pow-wow to talk about what’s going on for the day. While he’s drinking his bottle, he’s part of the staff” says Joanna Dychton, Farm and Safety Manager.

Batman has his own personal stall in our indoor barn (complete with a cozy bed, originally meant for a dog), and receives lots of attention from our staff and visitors.  Batman is also being socialized with people and other animals. Soon he will start taking short jaunts outside onto the farm and meeting other goats, pigs, and sheep. Once he is a little bit bigger, it will good for Batman to meet other goats who will show him the ropes – goat 101, if you will. “We’re happy to see Batman growing into a happy, healthy goat” says Joanna.

Batman has been with Lollypop Farm for weeks and has waited the appropriate amount of time for stray-hold, with no promising leads. Now, under our custody, Batman can begin the road to his new home. When Batman is fully grown, he will become a rather large fellow! Nubians tend to grow to approximately 150 – 175 lbs. They are tall, lanky goats with long, floppy ears, unique coloration, and sweet, goofy personalities. Batman will have to wait until he is at least 4 months old before he can be neutered, and then Batman will head to his new home! We have already found an adopter who will give him the very best life a goat could ask for.

We can speculate as to where Batman may have originally come from before he ended up alone on the thruway. A farm? A meat auction? But in reality, we’ll never know for sure. What we do know is, this little guy will be adopted, grow into a big, healthy goat, and live out the rest of his life as a beloved farmyard pet. Because of support from friends like you, we were able to give this baby goat a second chance.

Help us continue to care for Batman and other farm yard friends like him: www.lollypop.org/donate

Meet our farmyard friends available for adoption: www.lollypop.org/adopt/horses-farm-animals

If you ever come across a stray pet or lose your pet, contact Lollypop Spotters at 585-223-1330 or lostandfound@lollypop.org.

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