Winslow Township police officer saves goat on the run

NEW JERSEY (WTXF) - Roscoe, the billy goat, spent Christmas Eve on the lamb. He broke out of his home on a South Jersey farm. Luckily, he was spotted by a Winslow Township police officer as he dodged cars on a busy road.

The concerned officer quickly tossed the 8-year-old long-haired goat into the back of a squad car. No doubt Roscoe thought his time on the run had come to an end. Indeed he was headed to the big house.

"He was in good shape and he appears to be pretty healthy," Officer Austin Schmidt told FOX 29.

Happily, the homeless farm animal was in good hands. Patrolman Austin Schmidt says fellow officers set Roscoe up in a police dog enclosure. A retired cop even came by with hay and feed.

Maybe Roscoe was thinking life in the pen wasn't so bad. But the policemen wanted to make sure the wayward goat got to go home for the holidays.

"Put it on Facebook saying 'Hey listen we got a goat here does anyone know anything about it.'"

This post--detectives quick to note for any worried boys and girls that they'd checked to make sure roscoe was not a rogue reindeer, and Santa's sleigh was still on track.

The response--doors in town swung open to welcome the billy goat into their happy homes. An owner did come forwar -but it turns out they didn't want the little guy anymore.

By now Winslow Township police were fond of their gentle new friend, and they were working hard for a happy ending.

"It's Christmas time. We feel like everybody needs a home around Christmas."

So the department tracked down a local farm that agreed to take in the abandoned animal. Roscoe now living in a big field with new friends including these donkeys and other goats.

In the big scheme of things, the officers say Roscoe was not the fugitive of the century. But they're glad they could give him a happy ending.

"We treat every animal with respect."

The owner of the farm says Roscoe is healthy and doing well as he gets used to his new home.