Rescued goat gives birth in truck on way to Riverside County animal shelter

SAN JACINTO, Calif. (KABC) -- A Riverside County animal control officer was in for a big surprise after rescuing a goat that was wandering the streets near Perris.

Officer Abel Buenrostro found the female LaMancha dairy goat late Wednesday afternoon near Lemon Avenue and Dunlap Drive.

He loaded the animal onto his truck. When the officer arrived at the animal shelter in San Jacinto, he opened the compartment door and almost did a double-take -- actually, more like a triple-take. Suddenly there were three goats.

The pregnant goat he rescued had given birth to two babies during the 25-minute car ride.

"I thought to myself, 'Wow, this is crazy,'" the seven-year veteran officer said, according to Riverside County Animal Services. "That's a first time for me a goat gave birth on my truck."

Buenrostro said he knew the goat was pregnant, but he didn't know how far along she was.

"I guess she was ready to go once we started driving," he said. "When I opened my truck compartment, she was such a sweetheart. You could almost see it on her face: I've got my babies."

Animal control officials don't think the goat was abandoned on the street; they believe she just wandered away from her owner's property.

Officials say if the goats' owner doesn't show up to pick up the animals, then they could be available for adoption after the county's standard hold period.