Family heartbroken after therapy goat disappears from Elkton farm

Owner trained goat as companion for children, elderly

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Johns County woman is heartbroken after her goat Sebastian disappeared from her family's farm in Elkton last week.

Sebastian's owner Genny Johns believes he may have been stolen and is begging anyone who might know where he is to bring him back home.

Sebastian the goat is an unconventional pet with a special purpose. At 2 years old, Sebastian has been trained as a therapy animal for children and the elderly.

Johns works at a veterinary clinic in Nocatee and adopted Sebastian when he was just 4 weeks old. She raised the goat as a therapy animal to be a companion for those who need him most, which includes Johns and her family.

"I brought him home. He was a bottle baby for the longest time," Johns said. "He got raised with my dog, so he kind of thinks that he's a little bit of a dog."

PHOTOS: Owners search for missing therapy goat

Johns learned her goat disappeared  when the caretaker of the family's farm in Elkton called with the unfortunate news.

"He's not the type of goat that would wander off because he's very social, super clingy, part of the bottle baby thing," Johns said. "So, we know for sure he was taken. He's got a very desirable personality, just very, very easy-going."

Johns told News4Jax the baby goat stays in a fenced-in area of the farm where he can't escape.

She fears someone passing on a nearby trail may have realized how friendly Sebastian is and took him.

"He has so much good to do for other people that, you know, I'm hoping that if somebody did take him and they do have to keep him, he's contributing a lot to them," Johns said. "But I really just want him back home with his family."

Johns said while the family doesn't know who would have stolen the goat, the farm is next to running and biking trails where people stop and pet Sebastian and the other animals.

The family hopes whoever took Sebastian or knows where he might be to return him and move on.