Fire

a.k.a. Riri

Fire

When we met Fire, she was heavily pregnant, had mange, and was malnourished. This girl was the epitome of being a wild, untamed, and fearful goat. She was nonetheless a spitfire, hence her name, and quickly took charge of the herd.

Although Riri was strong in the herd and recovered quickly with medication and good food, it was heart-breaking to see her run and cower in a corner whenever a human came in her vicinity. We could not use a broom or rake near her as she would visibly pale and flee.

No matter what we did, this pattern continued for nearly 3 years. The only change was that she chose two humans who could walk near her, without that tremendous fear response, but touching her was simply not allowed.

We never gave up on Fire.

Through the years, she lost her place as leader, and Storm took over, which was a difficult change for her. Even some of the younger goats, who usually accepted her hierarchy, started to butt her away from food, and her footing in the herd became less and less secure. We had to ensure that she still had a place to feed and be nourished. Still, Riri did not want much to do with humans.

Then she somehow managed to break her horn. She literally pulled the whole sheath of her horn off, and we had to intervene daily by cleaning the stump, bandaging her, and giving antibiotics.

Still, Riri fought us every step of the way.

One day, almost three-and-a-half years since we met Riri, she came to me for food and took food from my hand. The process quickly progressed from there, and she is now willing to be touched, have soft hugs, and does not cower in a corner when she sees me or the other director.

I will always remember Fire as the fiery goat I met, the strong girl with a wild spirit leading the herd, proudly claiming the space as her own; but the older, softer Riri that has come to the fore, needing more care and nurturing, is a privilege I don’t take lightly and embrace with all my heart. As she grows older, she will need more and more care to be comfortable and healthy, and I will humbly walk this path with the girl named Fire.