‘Goats Are Part of My Family’; Finding Joy, and Less Work, After Welcoming Goats into the Home

The Japan News

11:02 JST, June 12, 2025

CHIBA – A female company employee in Chiba has three goats at her family home.

Her family started keeping goats over 10 years ago. At that time, they were struggling to weed their large garden. They got two goats, one male and one female, from acquaintances. After the goats arrived, the situation greatly improved, according to her.

Since then, the number has increased to as many as nine goats at once. Her family has given some of the goats away to others, including a Self-Defense Forces base, to help with weeding.

The family now think of the goats as pets, not just furry groundskeepers. They seem to have gotten used to being treated as such, so they now prefer to eat grass cut for them by humans rather than plants growing in the ground. “We may have spoiled them,” she said with laugh.

“I like the way they move slowly. They are part of my family,” she said.