Polly is a baby goat with anxiety, among a list of other medical issues. She’s also blind and underweight—the latter stems from neurological problems that affect her ability to eat properly. But her human, Leanne Lauricialle, who runs the goat rescue group Goats of Anarchy out of New Jersey, just found something to calm her down.
Around Halloween, Lauricella purchased a child’s duck costume at Marshalls, The Dodo reports. She bought it because she thought it might look cute on her rescues. It turned out that that Polly, the newest addition to the herd, was able to benefit from the fluffy, yellow ensemble. Whenever put in costume, she would instantly calm down.
Polly has also been outfitted in a pig costume and fox costume—and both had similar effects—but Lauricella believes that the duck is her favorite.
Costumes aren’t the only solution for Polly’s anxiety. Continue reading to learn more.
Goats of Anarchy
Leanne Lauricella runs a rescue for special needs baby goats in New Jersey. The group has become an internet sensation, which is great because more exposure means more support (tell that to anyone who thinks that looking at cute animals online is a waste of time). Today, we are featuring the story of Polly, pictured center.
Living With Anxiety
Polly lives with anxiety, blindness, and neurological issues which cause her to be underweight for her age.
Just before Halloween, Lauricella spotted a child’s duck costume at Marshall’s and bought it thinking her kids would look cute in it.
A Simple Solution
For Polly, the duck costume ended up working like a ThunderShirt, which is meant to treat animals with anxiety. You might be thinking, “Why didn’t Lauricella get a ThunderShirt in the first place?” She did, but it didn’t work out.
“There’s something about that duck costume that calms her,” Lauricella said. “She goes into a little trance. She just closes her eyes and she’s out.”
What Does the Fox Say?
This “fox” doesn’t bark or howl, she also bleats! She’s also been dressed in other outfits, like this one.
Without a costume, Polly is prone to certain habits, most likely related to her anxiety. For example, when Lauricella is nowhere to be found, she panics and cries.
Hogs and Kisses
“She’ll find a corner of a wall in the house, and she’ll just start sucking on the wall,” Lauricella said. “So all the corners in our house have these little suck marks from her mouth.” The costumes put her right to sleep.
Sunshine in My Pocket
Polly will soon outgrow the costumes, but Lauricella seems to have found another way to calm her down. She placed a new rescue goat called Pocket on her back, and she grew calm, just as she did when dressed.
The two have a special connection. “I’ve never seen her do that with another goat here,” Lauricella said.
Cue in Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop That Feeling.” (I got that sunshine in my pocket / Got that good soul in my feet).
If you loved this story, please share it. To help Polly and other special needs baby goats, consider making a donation to the Goats of Anarchy.
Janet Cromwell
Tv evangelist. Alcohol lover. Proud social media trailblazer. Unapologetic travel buff. Coffee expert. Music junkie. Freelance gamer. Wannabe food fanatic.
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