Fayetteville police: Prosecutor will review possible misdemeanors in goat video case

Felony charges would be unjustified and a warrantless misdemeanor arrest would be illegal in the case of a video showing someone puncturing a can on a goat's horn that has gained widespread attention on social media, according to a news release from the Fayetteville Police Department.

The police department has forwarded the case to Washington County juvenile prosecutor and the Fayetteville prosecutor to decide whether misdemeanor charges will be filed, the news release stated.

The video was first brought to the attention of a Fayetteville school resource officer, according to the news release.

"The video has caused some understandable concerns and questions," the police news release stated, including social media speculation about what had happened to the goat and how thoroughly police investigated.

The police criminal investigation division and the Fayetteville and Washington County prosecutor’s offices were consulted, according to the news release.

"Many hours were spent locating the goat and verifying its condition," the release stated.

The goat was rented as a practical joke and returned to its owner, who said it was unharmed, according to the news release.

Investigators and prosecutors determined the incident shown in the video did not constitute felony animal cruelty as defined by state law. The law cited in the news release specifically covers "torture" of dogs, horses and cats.

Investigators also considered misdemeanor animal cruelty and underage drinking offenses, according to the news release. However, under state law, officers cannot make misdemeanor arrests without a warrant if they did not witness the crime, even if a crime is caught on video, the news release stated.

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