By Tim Ruzek
Post-Bulletin, Austin MN
A man who says he owned a goat that was found dying last weekend in an Austin garage told police he had been caring for it.
Abraham Palma Hernandez, 37, reportedly told police that he had been keeping the goat on rural property but brought it to the house in northeast Austin last Wednesday because it was sick.
A 49-year-old woman found the dying goat in her garage on Saturday and called police. She had been living in the house for about a week.
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She called police again Monday when she saw the property’s owner, Hernandez, moving a truck at the garage. Hernandez lives in the same block. He reportedly told police that he’d left food and water for the animal and showed them medicine he’d bought for it at a veterinary clinic.
Hernandez has been cited for harboring a farm animal in the city and was told he’d have to pay the vet bill for euthanizing the goat, which was done Saturday, Police Chief Paul Philipp said.
