243 goats die after big-rig overturns in San Rafael

[MonkeyFunk]

More than 240 goats were killed Friday morning when a big-rig carrying them tipped over in San Rafael's Canal area.
Many of the animals, en route to clear vegetation in Mill Valley, suffocated when the rig overturned near Irene Street on "The Loop" traffic route, police said.

The truck, owned by Orinda-based Goats R Us, was transporting about 400 animals from Milpitas to the Golden Gate Theological Seminary when the driver pulled off the freeway for a cup of coffee, police said.


more at:http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_6319812



This is very sad.

[senseandsensibility]

1. Very sad.

I hope there is a review about how to transport them more safely in the future.

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. They were being ransported in a perfectly safe way. It was driver error

That caused this. He took a turn too sharply and quickly, the goats on the upper deck of a 3 deck trailer most likely shifted, the trailer became top-heavy and fell over.

Yeah, it's sad but accidents happen. It's better that it happened on a surface street than having a high speed accident on the freeway kill all the animals.

[Peregrine Took]

2. I heard this and I just felt terrible. Were they being transported in a safe and

regulated way or just dumped in a truck?

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. Read through the article. They were being transported in a perfectly legal and appropriate way.

The article mentions this company has been moving these animals for quite a while. It also mentions the owner of the goats had to be restrained by police and was distraught.

It might seem cruel to those unfamiliar with livestock transport but the methods and transport equipment used are designed to ensure the safety of the animals, not endanger them.

This accident was a combination of driver error and freight that moves around when it feels like it. The cargo picked the wrong time to move.