Oakmont library hosts 2nd annual Meet and Bleat with riverbank's hardworking goats

Edgewater Overlook in Oakmont was filled with laughter, songs and bleating on Friday as Oakmont Carnegie Library hosted the borough’s second annual Meet and Bleat.

Children were invited to the event to listen to a book reading and meet the goats from Capricious Goats LLC, the goats hired to help maintain overgrown vegetation along the borough’s Allegheny River bank.

The goats quickly became treasured members of the community with people visiting them while they worked along the riverbank for the past two summers.

“It’s stunning and it’s humbling,” Monica Shields, co-owner of Capricious Goats, said in regard to how much the goats are loved by residents. “We’re just so grateful that Oakmont is so supportive of us and environmentally responsible practices.”

She said at the end of the goats’ first summer in Oakmont, a gentleman living by the riverbank approached her and said he was sorry to see them go. He pointed out to her that many people were coming to see the goats, and more residents were spending quality family time with each other because of it.

Shields is an advocate for handling invasive species naturally rather than using pesticides that could harm the environment and wildlife.

“I think that using the animals to address invasive vegetation is an important environmental and responsible way to address problem areas in the community,” Shields said. “I think we need to shift. It’s part of being responsible and managing our environment. The goats and sheep — they are eating things that we don’t want there anyway.”

Shields owns the company with her husband, Timothy. Their company has contracts in various local communities including Avalon and Canonsburg.

Shields said the goats are no strangers to community events. Children were able to pet, hold and feed the goats during the Meet and Bleat. Shields said the animals are raised to know what their work day will look like and, as naturally social animals, are stimulated by meeting people.

Not only were the children able to meet the goats, they were able to ask Shields questions about them. They learned that goats have horns for protection, fighting and regulating body temperature. They also learned that goats are born with fur while they grow their horns, and they can’t eat pizza or candy but love apple juice.

“The library is a resource,” said Caitlyn Boland, director of the Oakmont Carnegie Library. “Part of what we do is connect people with all of our local organizations and try to be that supportive partner. This is a great effort to really make that connection for our community.”

Boland has been the library’s director since February. She credited the event’s creation to the borough’s assistant manager, Phyllis Anderson, who has spearheaded multiple environmentally friendly projects including bringing the goats to the riverbank.

“We’re just so thankful to have someone in leadership that cares about those things for Oakmont and for its community,” Boland said. “It’s important to let the community know that through events like this that there’s important work happening.”