NH Couple Ordered to Pay $18K in Damages Because of Their Goats

A couple in Hampton, New Hampshire, has to pay for their goats and sheep's appetite for their neighbor's delicious buffet yard.

According to Seacoastonline, a judge ordered Jessica Lapa Beals and Elliot Beals to pay their neighbor, Erica de Vries, over $18,000 in damages caused by their four goats and six sheep. They were just hungry, but would often escape. The judge said in his decision that the goats destroyed trees and replacement trees along with shrubbery. And of course, they left, um...droppings in the neighbor's yard and driveway.

Photo by Sergiu Vălenaș on Unsplash

Why didn't Hampton, New Hampshire, take care of the goat problem?

This goat battle has been going on for over two years because the town did nothing to enforce their zoning ordinance that forbids livestock in a residential neighborhood. Erica de Vries and her neighbors had filed complaints with the police, the town building department, the town manager, and the Board of Selectmen. The biggest complaint was that the animals were always breaking free from the neighbors and running loose in the neighborhood!

Photo by Steven Feldman on Unsplash

The goats and sheep were turned over to the NHSPCA in July 2022. But there were other farm animals (chickens and pigs) and those were also against the town ordinance of no farm animals in residential areas.

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Hampton, New Hampshire, also filed a lawsuit against the Bealses

Hampton officials filed their lawsuit against the Bealses back in October 2022 to get this goat-loving couple to comply with the town's zoning ordinances. They did reach an agreement, but the couple hasn't held up their end of the bargain. So, back to court they go for a hearing scheduled for April 4. The whole mess is avoidable and regrettable. Erica de Vries told Seacoastonline,

Quite predictably, the town's delay shifted the expense onto me. Taxpayers rightly should expect that, moving forward, the town of Hampton will take seriously its enforcement responsibility.

Hopefully, the chickens and pigs aren't as hungry as the goats were.

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