Jon Stewart Rescues Two Runaway Goats From the NYC Subway

(Image credit: Getty/Bridget Burns)

published 21 August 2018

A few weeks ago, I reported on the story of over 100 escaped goats on the loose in a suburban neighborhood in Idaho. At the time, I requested we get at least one new goat story (with a happy ending!) per week until Donald Trump is no longer president. We’re batting a little below average, but the latest goat story—this time out of New York City—has 100 percent more celebrity involvement, which kind of makes up for it.

On Monday, around 10:30 a.m., the Metropolitan Transit Authority (known as the MTA, the organization that runs the New York subway system and which is not often regarded for its great sense of humor) sent out a bemused alert on its official Twitter account: “A new one for us (we think): Two goats are roaming along the N line tracks in Brooklyn. They’re safe and not currently affecting service, but they are on the run. We’ll keep you posted.”

You crazy for this one, goats. This story has everything: cloven hooves on the run, a major urban city, an air of mystery—and all without animal carnage or service interruptions? It’s...it’s perfect. The MTA tweeted a follow-up, with evidence:

Two very baaaaad boys. pic.twitter.com/3fcb9QCxGhAugust 20, 2018

According to the New York Times

Southbound N trains are running on the D line from 36 St to Coney Island Stillwell Av while the NYPD safely retrieve goats from the tracks. pic.twitter.com/oDy0KVk6PLAugust 20, 2018

And finally, around noon, the MTA announced that NYPD had successfully removed the goats from the track.

But the story doesn’t end there. Later that day, the NYT reported that comedian Jon Stewart would help transport the goats to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York (he and his wife, Tracey, are long-time supporters of the shelter). There, the goats will live out their caprine days as free animals. A truly happy ending!

Once again, I request that we get at least one (1) story of this nature per week, until either Donald Trump is no longer president or we experience the inevitable heat death of the universe, whichever comes first.

Cady has been a writer and editor in Brooklyn for about 10 years. While her earlier career focused primarily on culture and music, her stories—both those she edited and those she wrote—over the last few years have tended to focus on environmentalism, reproductive rights, and feminist issues. She primarily contributes as a freelancer journalist on these subjects while pursuing her degrees. She held staff positions working in both print and online media, at Rolling Stone and Newsweek, and continued this work as a senior editor, first at Glamour until 2018, and then at Marie Claire magazine. She received her Master's in Environmental Conservation Education at New York University in 2021, and is now working toward her JF and Environmental Law Certificate at Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains.

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