Settlement Reached in Dispute Over Seized Goat
Shasta County to Pay $300,000 to Girl’s Family
A 9-year-old girl who fell in love with the goat she raised for the Shasta District Fair was heartbroken when deputies, wielding a search warrant, confiscated the furry livestock, taking him away to be butchered.
Background
The young girl had raised the goat, named Cedar, for the 2022 fair, as part of a program intended to teach youngsters how to care for farm animals. But when it came time to sell Cedar and turn him over to be butchered, Jessica Long’s 9-year-old daughter couldn’t do it. Long took the goat away from the fair, offered to pay for the costs, and pleaded with fair officials to let her daughter keep Cedar.
Dispute and Legal Action
Instead, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office deployed deputies, search warrant in hand, to drive hundreds of miles across Northern California to find and take the goat from Billy’s Mini Farm, where Long had taken him until the dispute was resolved. It is not clear who contacted and instructed the sheriff’s office to get involved.
Long and her daughter alleged that deputies wrongfully took out a search warrant, seized Cedar, and turned the animal over to fair officials. Attorneys also accused county and fair officials of using law enforcement to intervene in what they said was a legal civil dispute over who owned the goat.
Lawsuit and Settlement
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd approved a settlement that requires Shasta County to pay $300,000 to Long and her daughter to settle the federal suit out of court. "Unfortunately, this litigation cannot bring Cedar home," said Vanessa Shakib, an attorney representing Long. "But the $300,000 settlement with the County of Shasta and Shasta County Sheriff’s Office is the first step forward."
Unanswered Questions
The settlement brings about a partial end to what has been two years of contentious litigation between Long and Shasta County and fair officials. During the last two years, Shakib said fair and county officials have engaged in "obstructionist discovery tactics" to avoid answering key questions about what happened to the goat, and what role officials played in seizing and destroying the animal.
Questions Remain Unanswered
After two years of reviewing texts, emails, phone records, and depositions, Shakib said county and fair officials have yet to make clear who butchered Cedar, what happened to his meat, and who got sheriff deputies involved in the dispute. Text messages uncovered during the federal lawsuit suggest fair officials wanted to keep secret what happened to Cedar and who was involved.
Conclusion
The settlement is a victory for Long and her daughter, but it does not bring closure to the case. The lawsuit is still ongoing, with claims remaining against Shasta District Fair employees and a 4-H volunteer. Attorneys are still reviewing discovery to try to find out what happened to Cedar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What happened to Cedar the goat?
A: It is unclear who butchered Cedar, and what happened to his meat.
Q: Who contacted the sheriff’s office to seize the goat?
A: It is not clear who contacted and instructed the sheriff’s office to get involved.
Q: Who is responsible for the dispute?
A: The county and fair officials have denied any wrongdoing, while Long and her daughter’s attorneys have accused them of using law enforcement to intervene in a legal civil dispute over who owned the goat.
Q: What is the next step in the lawsuit?
A: The lawsuit is still ongoing, with claims remaining against Shasta District Fair employees and a 4-H volunteer. Attorneys are still reviewing discovery to try to find out what happened to Cedar.
