Goats pulled from events after rough handling
BBCA goat owner will no longer take animals to public events after video appeared to show them being handled roughly at a Christmas fair.
Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch (BCP) Council said it had concluded an investigation into the handling of the Bournemouth Goats at an event on 13 December 2025 launched after footage of the incident emerged online.
It said the licence holder had confirmed he would not be undertaking any further exhibitions and would not be renewing his animal activity licence.
The owner of the goats, Mark Jackson, has apologised for his actions.
You may find the following video distressing.
The footage, shared publicly by Dorset Animal Action, appeared to show a goat being dragged along a roadside by its collars before being moved into a pen.
The charity has called for a wider ban on live animal displays at public events, saying such attractions are stressful and unfair on animals.
The goats are a familiar sight on Bournemouth's cliffs, where they are used as part of a conservation grazing scheme.
Jackson accepted it was "not an acceptable way to move the animals around" and said the welfare of the goats is his top priority.
A BCP Council spokesperson said: "We take concerns around animal welfare extremely seriously."
They added that the goats would not be attending a planned appearance at an Easter festival this Saturday, or any other public events.
Angela Hardy, from Dorset Animal Action, said: "Whenever an animal is put on display they're taken away from wherever they call home and they're put under stress and it's not fair and it's not right."
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