By David Fleet
Editor
Brandon Twp.-Abby the goat may never visit another movie theater.
No ‘butts? about it’one was quite enough.
Abby’s owner, township resident Howard Leake, worked for the Oakland County Animal Control based in Auburn Hills for more than 30 years. While serving as a supervisor with the OCAC, Leake received all kinds of strange calls ranging from stray monkeys, runaway snakes and lost cattle.
‘All part of the job,? quips Leake. ‘But the report of a stray goat loose in a Rochester movie theater, well that even suprised me a little.?
‘When the OCAC men arrived they found this female goat sitting on a couch in the lobby area of the theater,? smiles Leake, a township resident since 1971.
‘I figured some high school kids dropped the goat off there as a joke and for good reason’the movie ‘Babe? just happend to be playing at the time.?
The 1995 movie titled ‘Babe,? featured farm animals including a pig raised by sheepdogs. The pig learns to herd sheep with a little help from Farmer Hoggett.
However, this Abby was not looking for stardom.
The misplaced nanny came along quietly says Leake, and was incarcerated at the OCAC in Auburn Hills. The law requires that livestock be detained for a few days so owners have a chance pick them up’however, no one came to get her, said Leake.
‘She was later put up for auction’but no one bid on her. So I adopted her.?
Today Abby’s movie going days are long gone and she resides in a small barn on Leake’s farm.
‘She’s a pretty good old goat,? smiles Leake, who retired from the OCAC in 2000. ‘She’s got a little athritis in her knees and likes to stay in her barn, but other than that she’s pretty happy.?