'Little Rosie lost her mom': Victoria woman raises orphaned baby goat at home
Alexis was craving cuddles more than usual that night, which meant the pregnant goat’s babies were on their way.
“They just want us to be there to help,” Claudia explains. “They don’t want to be alone.”
Claudia — who’s the manager of the Beacon Hill Children’s farm — says that Alexis had five babies last time, and based on her size, possibly more this time.
After a long labour, Rosemary arrived first.
“They are little slimy goaties when they are born,” Claudia laughs. “They come out with lots of little goo that helps them come out.”
But within 10 minutes, little Rosemary was drying-off, standing-up and looking obviously healthy.
“Alexis was really relieved that the first one was out,” Claudia recalls. “Usually when the first one is out things go better.”
But this was not one of those times. There was only one more baby and he was too big to make it. Two days later, because of complications from the birth, Alexis also died.
“It was devastating,” Claudia cries. “Little Rosie lost her mom.”
Because a baby goat needs a mom, Claudia committed to becoming her surrogate and brought Rosemary home.
“It was a rather tough time too,” Claudia says of the touch-and-go first few weeks. “Little Rosie went through any health problem she could find.”
Claudia spent countless sleepless nights caring for the baby, and Rosemary found comfort cuddling close to her on the couch.
After eight weeks of bottle feeding and unconditional loving, Rosemary started flourishing.
The baby goat began bounding across the hardwood floors clad in a diaper and onsie before launching herself on to the couch.
“Rosie needed help but she also never gave up,” Claudia smiles. “She’s strong and she’s positive and she kept going.”
Rosemary didn’t like going to the farm during the day and struggled to connect with the others, instead she followed Claudia wherever she went.
Claudia spent time teaching the baby how to be a goat, and couldn’t have felt more proud when Rosemary finally made her first friend.
“Now I see she plays with others, she eats some hay, she sleeps here overnight,” Claudia smiles. “She’s growing up.”
But no matter how old Rosemary gets, it seems she’ll always see Claudia as her mom.
“It’s the way she looks at me and the ways she talks to me,” Claudia smiles, before making the baby goat sound. “She uses her little ‘You’re my mama voice!’”
When I ask how it feels to have Rosemary call her like that, Claudia inhales deep, before smiling huge.
“Goats know their babies by their voice,” she beams. “And I know Rosie by her voice,”
Although Rosemary lost her birth mom, she’s found her forever mom.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.