School's Beloved Goat Stolen, Found Dead In St. Paul: Police

ST. PAUL, MN — A St. Paul school is in shock after its beloved goat, Hazelnut, was stolen and found dead, according to authorities.

“As a community, we are heartbroken, horrified, and grieving,” Lisa Holt, who leads the goat and chicken program at Great River School, wrote on a GoFundMe set up in the wake of the incident.

Great River is a public Montessori charter school for students in first through 12th grade and includes a micro-farm with goats, chickens, a duck and a garden.

Video captured people near the school’s goat pen the night of June 26, according to St. Paul police, and staff discovered Hazelnut was missing the next day. Two days later, officers responded to the 300 block of Lafond Avenue, where they found Hazelnut’s remains in a plastic storage box, police said.

The case is under investigation.

“We continue to welcome any information that may help in the investigation or in understanding what happened to Hazelnut,” Holt wrote.

Holt described Hazelnut as “an extremely special goat” who knew her name, would come when called and had an old soul.

“She was chosen for Great River specifically because of her level of socialization, extreme friendliness and trust of people, her Oberhasli milking lines, and her thorough training as a pack goat, which made her as friendly and as responsive as a well-trained off-leash dog,” Holt wrote.

Following Hazelnut’s disappearance and death, the school’s two remaining goats, Magnolia and Midnight, were moved off-site to a farm upstate.

Great River is raising money to secure the school's goat pen and chicken infrastructure, support the animal program more broadly, and pay for vehicles to transport the goats and students for trips and outings.