Stillborn Goat Causes Petting Zoo’s Removal From Sarasota County Fair

SARASOTA, FL — The Sarasota County Fair removed the petting zoo from this year’s event after a stillborn goat was left in public view Sunday night.

“The animal was premature and stillborn, so it wasn’t viable,” Roy Martin, fair president, told Patch. “It wasn’t like it was alive or anything.”

After an investigation by Sarasota County Fair staff and Sarasota police, the fair decided that the animal husbandry of Emerson Farms, the Alabama-based company that operated the petting zoo, “was not up to our standards,” Martin added.

“They could have been a little more conscious of their actions as they appeared to the public,” he said, adding that no charges will be filed against the farm.

Patch has reached out to Emerson Farms for comments. This story will be updated when they respond.

While a stillborn goat isn’t unusual for those in agriculture, it was likely jarring for the average fair-goer.

“It’s something on the farm that we deal with on a regular basis, but it is kind of shocking and people in the public might not be accustomed to it,” Martin said.

Emerson Farms was hired at the last minute to bring its petting zoo to this year’s Sarasota County Fair, which runs through Sunday.

A petting zoo operated by Jay Phillips was initially booked for the event, but let the fair know in January that it couldn’t attend.

Phillips recommended Emerson Farms in his place, Martin said. “Needless to say, we will not have them back.”