To Alexandra Lezo, her two pygmy goats aren’t just livestock – they’re part of her family.
But now the South Burnaby resident is asking the City of Burnaby to allow her to keep her goats, Andy and Toggy, after someone lodged a complaint with the city about the animals. Lezo is now in a desperate situation, trying to get Burnaby council to reclassify pygmy goats as pets in the city.
Lezo has had the goats for almost a year, having adopted them shortly after they were born.
“We got them when they were eight weeks old – they were really tiny, we’d just carry them around,” she said.
The goats soon gathered attention as neighbours and children from nearby schools started noticing them in Lezo’s yard, delighted to see Andy and Toggy up close. Many neighbours had questions about the goats, so Lezo put up a sign on her fence explaining basic facts about her goats.
“People were always asking me, ‘How old are they? What are their names? What do they eat?’” she said, which prompted her to make the sign.
“After that, I received a call from the city.”
Lezo said she was surprised to know there was a complaint against Andy and Toggy, given that she had cleared things with the city before she adopted them.
“Goats are allowed under the animal bylaw, and I called the city just to double check and they referred me back to the animal bylaw,” she said. “But technically, I’m not zoned to keep them.”
The city’s animal control bylaw notes that goats are allowed in Burnaby, but does not specify what type of properties are designated for keeping goats.
On Monday, Lezo appeared before Burnaby city council, requesting that council amend the animal control bylaw to allow pygmy goats. A few dozen friends and neighbours showed up to the meeting to support her, and she also delivered a petition with more than 600 signatures from the neighbourhood.
“Our neighbours all support us, they’ve all written letters to the city,” she said.
After pleading her case, Mayor Derek Corrigan acknowledged that Lezo is a “considerate and attentive” owner, but worried that others might not be as responsible.
“It sounds to me like you’ve provided a very good home and are a very good owner for these pygmy goats,” he said. “Unfortunately, not everyone is like you, and it’s one of the issues that we have to deal with as we look at any potential change to our bylaws.”
Lezo said she shares the mayor’s concerns, but noted the same argument can be applied to cats and dogs, and that implementing a strict licensing program would help weed out unsuitable owners.
“There’s always a chance that you’re going to have an owner who’s not going to be responsible,” she told the NOW. “But I think that people should also have the chance to do that, perhaps with guidance from the city. If we educate people more about all animals – even dogs – that might help us in the long run with animals everywhere in the city.”
Council opted to have staff prepare a recommendation on the proposed bylaw amendment, which is expected to take a few months. Lezo added that she felt council, by and large, is sympathetic to her situation.
“I think they’re really interested in how goats can benefit the neighbourhood,” she said. “I think they’re open to grandfathering Toggy and Andy in, or perhaps allowing pygmy goats at pets.
“We’re really hopeful that Toggy and Andy can stay and that we’ll be able to work something out.”
