Fair Officials Send Cops to Seize Child's Pet Goat

It appears they thought they were teaching her a lesson.
www.lehtoslaw.com

[@gbpg2016]

I’m just in awe that the auction house was able to get the LEOs to drive 500 miles for a goat. You can’t even get them to kick someone out your house for trespassing or even try to locate a stolen vehicle.

[@mainely8007]

That's 16 hour round trip times however many officers involved plus mileage on the vehicles, all at taxpayer expense just to appease the cruelty and vindictiveness of a power mad fair director.

[@spottheborgcat6523]

I would be willing to bet that the Fair CEO mentioned the Senator's name. Not what the Mother and the Senator had agreed on, ( to let the kid keep the goat) . But just to "use" the name to get the LEO s into doing their bidding.

[@the_inquisitive_inquisitor]

Locating a stolen vehicle is actually a lot of work. Evicting trespassers is something you can do by yourself.

[@kenmartin6597]

Solving crime only costs the department money. They make nothing from actually investigating crimes.

[@GreenBeret1903]

​@@kenmartin6597 they shouldn't be making money to begin with

[@elrobo3568]

I have been in law enforcement for almost 5 decades, I was also the director of a 4-H horse project, as well as a club leader. Some of our members had goats,chickens cows ducks and other animals. This situation is so stupid that I feel like screaming. All the trouble and money spent to take this to "justice" is nuts. It's no wonder that some people hate law enforcement. All this over a PET goat ans a 9 year old child. The fair committee should be ashamed of themselves.

[@Omniseed]

Yep, last I knew the 4-H club isn't the contract police and they have no business doing anything like this. The mother made a perfectly reasonable and respectful offer to address the situation without causing harm or expense to any involved party, and rather than accept the decision and agreement that the mother and the buyer made, they wanted to swing their nuts around and show a nine year old child who's boss. The fair officials and the police involved should be imprisoned. The state legislator is good, of course

[@rogerszmodis]

Given that they were American cops it just a good thing the girl wasn’t killed too.

[@RobertSzasz]

I'm sure what was going through the heads of the folks involved "I had to kill my pet goat, that little brat has too too"

[@fench1234567]

Shame and self examination are the LAST things on the minds of people that get on committees and do this to others! The fact remains that people who would make good unselfish decisions very seldom WANT to join the political circus in ANY capacity! They usually just want to live as they want and be just left alone.

[@unbreakable7633]

Government isn't your friend and especially not cops. Never has been, never will be. There is a reason that of 10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights, 4 concern criminal procedure -- the guys who wrote the Constitution weren't being easy on crime; they were being hard on government because these are the first rights abused by illegitimate government and its agents. Read John Whitehead's A GOVERNMENT OF WOLVES: THE EMERGING AMERICAN POLICE STATE.

[@andrewpreston1518]

If the county fair offers to settle, she should reject whatever settlement they offer and force them to appear in court. You know, to teach them a lesson.

[@yaqbulyakkerbat4190]

imagine what would come out in discovery!

[@fast.biking_freddy]

She already offered to settle multiple times, so I think they're going to court 😂

[@hewhohasnoidentity4377]

​@@fast.biking_freddy they are already in court. They will end up in a federal trial.

[@charlesestes7082]

@@Aidscapade71 Maybe you can't ignore a settlement, but you can reject a settlement OFFER. The fair CEO needs to lose her self aggrandized position. She should not be dealing with other people's children.

[@fast.biking_freddy]

@@hewhohasnoidentity4377 🤦‍♂️

[@georgeradulescu7175]

The only lesson the 4H director taught that girl is that bureaucracies are unreasonable and incompassionate, and law enforcement doubly so.

[@faelwolf1177]

The cops learned a lesson on what it's like to drive 500 miles with a goat in the back seat though. I doubt they'll be in a hurry to do that again! :)

[@avellinklater3566]

It's strange how cops never stop and think if they are engaging in an action that will permanently affect how people view them.

[@huwhitecavebeast1972]

They hire low IQ sociopaths

[@yaqbulyakkerbat4190]

I'm sure they do, they just don't care. They'll never face any punishment for it afterall. Look at the psychos that abducted the batman vehicle guy. Zero repercussions for flagrantly disregarding the law, state boundaries, and causing thousands in damage.

[@blackhorsecavalry]

"I'm just following orders." Yeah, we've heard THAT before.

[@solutionsforabrightfuture3579]

Also most Americans especially the boomers put cops on pedestals

[@RedKincaid]

If their bosses told them to, our cops would happily start lining the rest of us up against the wall. At least the military would resist if told to hurt their own citizens, but cops sign up for it

[@ryanjones7681]

There's too many people out here trying to "Teach others a lesson" instead of just being a kind, normal human being.

[@TheAmbulatingFerret]

The instant they lied about the goat being needed for a BBQ and the buyer complaining I 100% lost all sympathy for the fair district. I can understand that the fair might be concerned about losing reputation as they might in the future lose revenue if people think sellers might take back the animal. But once you start fibbing to the police you should probably recheck your moral compass.

[@mike.walker]

They went from "possibly" losing reputation initially, to "definitely" losing reputation by following through with a police response.

[@Napa39]

Ah but you see, the courts ruled that police don't need to tell the truth. So logically they applied that to everything the police do.

[@anyagetman8596]

Auctions are always uncertain. There are hidden reserves all of the time on hoses.

[@MatthewScur]

I think that the lesson learned here is that the government will spare no expense, skirt any obligation, and harm whomever they think necessary to cover their ineptitude. I'm in my mid 40's, and I'm a combat vet. So if you want to talk being able to stomach the grim reality of our world, I've been there, worn the T-shirt, and came back from it different than when I left. I don't have kids, I have pets. To me, the dogs that I have are the closest thing to children that I will ever get to experience. All I will say about the situation is this. I'm glad she's not my kid. Because if a child of mine decided to keep an animal, and after all this, they sent the Law after that animal, to then confiscate and slaughter it to close the case, leaving my child the one hurt..... That mother is a saint for not creating more job openings at the Fair grounds and police department.

[@johndoey9918]

Thank you.

[@tinahochstetler2189]

Thank you. The world needs mor people like you.

[@annfarmer9704]

I agree wholeheartedly. well said 🙏

[@hotrod500hp]

Thank you, sorry for the inconvenience

[@pvtbuddie]

@Trump Is The Messiah : And this time the conservative in question was willing to go along with the evil goat-thieving family! Yep, every story involving a conservative politician... it's always the same. I would like to know, though, seriously, what the situation is that you're talking about - the one with the house.

[@bethdavis7812]

I can vouch that those kids who raise animals for a 4H project bond with them and love them. Many times they sleep with them in their pens in the barns at the Fair. It is very traumatic for them. My brother raised a prize winning steer at the Fair and had to lead him up into a truck after the sale knowing what was going to happen to him. 60 Plus years later I found the Fair sales slip when cleaning out my mom's papers after her death. I took it to my brother, a very strong man's man, and ask him if he remembered it. With tears in his eyes he said "I loved him and did not want to sell him but we were coming off of a hard time on the farm and we could use the money." He never forgot and still got tears over it.

[@TheRoadhammer379]

Your brother sounds like a good guy. I would point out that unlike your brother, today children are extremely emotionally unstable and I think very strongly that it is the parents responsibility to make it crystal clear to the child that the animal being auctioned will end up being slaughtered. Society is raising very weak children, physically and mentally, they should not be engaged in animal raising if they are unable to go through with the auction. Your brother made a choice based on the financial situation and he grew up to be a man's man unlike the limp wristed sissies today.

[@imjashingyou3461]

@@TheRoadhammer379 I am willing to bet the majority of children today are more emotionally stable then you and you would collapse doing half the things i witness kids and young adults today doing.

[@drsteiny1]

That’s a hurt that never goes away. It hurts a little less as time goes by but it never disappears.

[@ocoolwow]

lol he loved the steer, buuutt... money. Sure he "loved" that steer.

[@aliceiscalling]

​@@ocoolwow You realize that if they were struggling financially, selling the steer might have been their only choice, right? Otherwise, they won't be able to feed the steer or themselves.

[@cogitoergopun1406]

The fair director outed her real motivations when she used the term "fair industry." She sees county fairs as a business and is trying to protect her business interests regardless of the costs or consequences. It's not about fairness, it's about profitability at all costs.

[@Archerxtreme]

Indeed. And she was so bent on it, that she actually lied to the police. Doesn't she know lying to the police is a crime? The list of what she is going to have to answer for gets longer and longer.

[@MarcosElMalo2]

That’s not accurate. The fair executive was offered just compensation: the original commission amount + whatever additional money would be needed to compensate for costs and inconvenience. That was made clear in the video. The executive’s real motivations were something different than greed.

[@Archerxtreme]

@@MarcosElMalo2 Thought about it, I have to agree with you. I have my opinion on what the reason might be, but it could be considered offensive, so I'm reluctant to say it.

[@coop5329]

@@MarcosElMalo2 Yes, even worse than greed.

[@darkarima]

"Your honor, the real damages aren't the commission my client lost out on. Their real damages are the loss to their reputation if they're forced to let 9-year-olds bully state senators into giving up on the auctions they won." "Counselor, if your claim is based on destroying the fair's reputation, you're suing the wrong person. Your own client went far out of their way to accomplish that, to a degree many times worse than this little girl ever could have."

[@davidgallagher7344]

The Fair and the cops need to be sued into oblivion.

[@KlodFather]

And put in the stockade along with that wench from the fair on the front lawn of the city building while people are encouraged to throw rotten vegetables and fruits at them LOL

[@FRLNCR]

What an inhumane travesty. Rest in peace Sedar. I'm sure you lived your best life with that little girl.

[@mainely8007]

Bless you for having a good heart!

[@the_inquisitive_inquisitor]

The goat had a good life, up until that last bit... but that's the best *anybody* can hope for. It's the little girl who's pet got killed that I'm concerned about.

[@noneone2u]

My heart is broken for the little girl. Nothing will remove her pain. Horrible.

[@segevstormlord3713]

Time will. It's sad, it's cruel on the part of those who did it, but she will get over it as long as she's allowed to. Children get over dead pets all the time. This was a cruel way to do it, but she will get over it.

[@hyzmarca2737]

@@segevstormlord3713 Time doesn't remove pain. You forget, but then something reminds you and it all comes back, just as fresh as it was on the day.

[@segevstormlord3713]

@@hyzmarca2737 Speaking as someone who has experience the effect, I can say that it _shouldn't_ do what you describe. Sure, there will be times and instances where it will come back, but it won't be every time you're reminded. I can speak of those I've lost, in some detail, without the pain I felt just thinking about them when it was fresh. I could probably work myself up by focusing on the pain, or even stumble on something that is so bittersweet or poignant that it does sharpen the memory to a painful edge, but for the most part, time does dull the pain. You move past it. You get used to the loss, that which caused sorrow becomes more distant and less able to hurt you. You grow. You heal. It isn't easy, but it is possible, and even typical.

[@jonthebru]

I would donate money to this law suit just to hear that the people running that county fair meet their comeuppance. And the fricking cops.

[@privacyvalued4134]

Now we just need a judge to tell the 4-H director to return the original goat intact, whole, alive, and in healthy condition or face criminal charges up to and including the wrongful death of an animal that was the property of someone else. That would, of course, help teach them a lesson about lying to law enforcement.

[@michaelshrader5139]

Also the little matter of filing a false police report, imho!

[@logansmall5148]

Since the goat was "sold" at auction for $900 it easily clears the $500 bar for California's related law of livestock theft valued at $500 or more, making it grand larceny.

[@wmdkitty]

@@logansmall5148 Yep, the mother needs to be charged.

[@ryano.5149]

Probably throw contempt of court in there too if they can't produce the goat in the condition it was in when the police originally found it... I would, if I were the judge, that's for sure!

[@1954Gregb]

Wow. A decision concluded without knowing the facts of the case. Yes it's a insane world we live in.

[@GyprockGypsy]

This is literally the theme of a children's story where the moral is to protect what you love because world is a terrible and cruel place of elitism and injustice.

[@mzmadmike]

The story should teach that goats are delicious.

[@KatzenjammerKid61]

Yeah, well pig knew the deal.

[@Z4Zander]

Make a movie."Free Billy"

[@johndoey9918]

@@mzmadmike ...and that some people are incredibly superficial and glib.

[@Sight-Beyond-Sight]

That $900 goat probably just cost the organizers a whole hell of a lot more... Hope Steve follows up on this!!

[@yaqbulyakkerbat4190]

Seriously, the staggering incompetence of government and enforcement these days is terrifying. I hope all those creeps lose thier employment and the right to ever own a pet again. But we all know there won't even be a consequence for their psychotic actions. The entire reason we're in this mess in the first place is they never face consequences. EDIT: Also ironic that the scumbag ceo was trying to "teach responsibility" by filing a false police report

[@undrhil]

Have you personally pulled the report and read it to see that it was a false report? I understand what Steve said in the video, but he doesn't know for sure that it was a false report in that way.

[@Korrin1]

CEO is going to learn a valuable lesson: lawyers charge by the hour, and it’s going to cost you a lot more than $902. Also: don’t contract with minors, don’t dispose of property that is not yours, and don’t mislead the police. Those are stupid games and you get some monumentally stupid prizes.

[@stuffbenlikes]

Is it incompetence, or deliberately malicious?

[@akulkis]

@@undrhil Police only handle CRIMINAL matters, not civil mattes like Breach of Contract. So, yes, the fair CEO filed a CRIMINAL complaint, otherwise the cops wouldn't have driven 500 miles to get the goat. If the CEO said, "they breached a contract!" the cops would have said, "Civil matter, not our bailiwick -- go hire an attorney."

[@yaqbulyakkerbat4190]

@@undrhil Didn't watch the video, did you?

[@benjaminmatheny6683]

Their Legal basis is hilarious. "We Want to Teach Her A Lesson". What right does 4H have to decide lessons to kids?

[@christinaburney5935]

It's Communist Marxist BS.

[@Facetiously.Esoteric]

Lmao While I agree with your intent, your question isn't the correct one. 4H is literally all about teaching children. That is the basis of the program. So that is why she thinks she has the right. But she isn't a 4H program manager. She was the fairgrounds director for 4H. She overstepped her authority I can guarantee, beyond breaking the law to do it. Also, she lied about a civil matter to the police claiming it was criminal theft.

[@kgniku503]

@@Facetiously.Esoteric that's a fair point, but I would suspect that the 4H auction contract doesn't contain any clauses like "we, the seller, shall learn a lesson from this sale".

[@Facetiously.Esoteric]

@KG Niku No. This is their mission statement though. "4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults. The phrase “Learning by Doing” sums up the educational philosophy of the 4-H program. Young people learn best when they are involved in their learning." Now give someone with poor judgment a leadership position based in that philosophy, and you have that director.

[@achillesbogart]

Fuck 4H. I was in one to train my dog when I was a kid. My dog pulled on her lead and they told me my dog could be put down for being "out of control."

[@daithi1966]

In regards to the police, if I were to call them and ask them to retrieve my goat, and the other party said, "It is our goat. My daughter decided not to sell it." then the police would normally say this is a civil matter, fight it out in court. So why in hell are they deciding to get involved here?

[@Peter-jl4ki]

Because this was a personal favor. Otherwise known as abuse of power, and corruption.

[@mhammer3186]

4H and FFA entry agreements have to be signed by the guardian of the contender. That being said, the county show seriously overstepped their bounds if both parties were in agreement to void the sale and they were still going to be made whole.

[@GammaCruxis]

I saw this story and it upset me beyond reason - as in I was legitimately pissed. The adults in the room in this situation all acted terribly, and I hope there’s no less than torches and pitchforks for those jokers 😡

[@jhoughjr1]

That is how our govt is supposed to work.

[@Omniseed]

The mother and the buyer were both good, but yeah the 4-H and fair officials as well as the police are pathetic scumbags. They belong in an underground prison

[@tolowreading6807]

This happens more often than you would think. I've been apart of a fundraiser to save a 4H pig. It also teaches responsibility to pay to keep your pig or whatever. Usually the fair board stays out of it.

[@J-Anon-]

4H has been around for a long time. This sort of thing must have come up countless times, and should be very predictable if you know your children. Can your 9yo daughter raise a goat for slaughter without getting attached? At some point, a parent has to think, "shit, I just bought a goat". You may owe 4H a goat. Fortunately, a certain number of US dollars will satisfy any debt that a court will honor. 4H should make some adult sign a contract spelling out what happens, & how much $ you owe if they don't get the goat back.

[@timrosencrans7955]

Maybe you should take some responsibility and realize that for animals are slaughtered for a reason. In almost all fairs, all pigs are slaughtered to prevent livestock contamination. Failure to do so, can spread diseases that can result in the slaughter of thousands of animals and wiping out of family farms.

[@tolowreading6807]

@@timrosencrans7955 That is totally not true.

[@mystery79]

That poor girl. It’s such a shame adults had to show a child the worst lessons humanity has to offer.

[@evan12697]

She learned an important lesson early on though - the police are not your friends and will always work against you

[@davidgoodnow269]

It's a shame that girl's parents didn't just keep that goat at home, instead of entering it in an AUCTION!

[@BornHandy]

Here, a LEO goes 500 miles for a goat, but when my car got smashed in a parking lot, they wouldn't drive 5 miles because it was "private property".

[@pjp_renaissance]

The money wasn't the issue, it was the "principle" - the fair was obviously fearful that any amount of concession would hurt their brand integrity. They were so hard set on "a deal being a deal" that they lost track of what was reasonable.

[@lonebikeroftheapocalypse9527]

It was a state senator that placed the high bid. That's why everything went south.

[@michaelshrader5139]

The money was never at issue... it was all about Power and Control.

[@dorothywillis1]

@@lonebikeroftheapocalypse9527 He was willing to let the kid have the goat.

[@katiekane5247]

Splitting the baby

[@califdad4]

This happened about 3 hours north of me out of Redding CA, but the goat was taken about 4 hours south of them and taken from there. The county Fair representative really messed up, and spun a Story to get this goat and that rep from the fair, who is employed by the county, is a total jerk

[@BallisticTip]

I'll be following the court case. The fair rep is going to get an A chewing for sure from multiple people. Police look dumb, fair looks dumb, a senator's name was falsely smeared. Lucy got some explaining to do.

[@califdad4]

@@BallisticTip that Fair representative should be fired

[@JaRule6]

​@@BallisticTip Lucy has some "splaining" to do 😅😅😅

[@peggyh8937]

This is outrageous...and heart breaking. Even if they had filed a "correct" police report, it's LE's duty to investigate both sides. They either did that and still wrongly took the goat or they did not investigate and took the goat. Either way, they are in the wrong. Thanks for shedding light on this horrific act.

[@ianbattles7290]

How did these cops have nothing better to do than drive a thousand miles to kill a goat?????

[@ColHunterGathers]

@@ianbattles7290 Yeah, they could have taken an hour and talked to the mother and daughter to get their side before going all Dog the Bounty Hunter: Animal Style

[@jackn2236]

The police rarely ever do in the US... Just look at other channels such as "Audit the Audit," there are several, cases like "Man arrested for legally buying groceries at walmart during store buisness hours because that's criminal tresspassing," or "Man arrested for buying car battery and paying for it at self check out because that's shop lifting..." In both cases the police arrested the man without investigating the claim let alone checking the evidence, first case is obviously false charges, after all they didn't arrest anyone else who bought groceries in that walmart store during the stores buisness hours... As for the seccond just check the reccords and ask the clerk at the self check out area... such simple things that they just don't do.

[@wstavis3135]

It is not their "duty" to investigate "both sides" their duty is to conduct an investigation. Because one party had filed a criminal complaint with the police, the police often take the simplest and laziest solution, then let the courts deal with it.

[@himoffthequakeroatbox4320]

Even if it was a breach of contract, that's a civil matter. Police have zero right to be involved. Not their job.

[@ianbattles7290]

The law is not an unstoppable force of nature, *it is a group of people choosing to do something.*

[@chrismc3744]

Fun fact: The expression "so-and-so 'got your goat'" goes back to horse racing. They would give the horse a goat as a friend, and they would bond like siblings. It was a 'comfort goat', if you will. Well, when money is on the line, people will lie, cheat, and steal. So, before a big race, if you went and stole a front-runner's goat, the horse would be all out of sorts and, in general, not race nearly as good. It would act out, become depressed, etc. Edit: BTW, love your content Steve. Keep up the great work.

[@katiekane5247]

Can confirm. I worked for a track veterinarian at his surgical center. If the horse doesn't make it, we'd get stuck with the damn goat. The other farm help found the goat's amorous attention funny, until they were being courted 😂😂😂😂😂😊

[@Grant5272]

Legal arguments aside, why in an age of social media, would the fair administrators think that this would be a good idea? The negative fall out from this could hurt them for a very long time.

[@mattg8787]

because some people in shasta county are not very smart

[@ShipCore]

people as far away as Australia know about Shasta county now and not in a good way

[@ms_cartographer]

It's because these fair grounds officials are fucking Karens. Some people just love to be malicious. I'm all for teaching kids how the real world works, but this is just too cruel.

[@cliftonmcnalley8469]

There is little doubt in my mind that someone calling the shots for the fair had a personal connection with the police. That particular corruption needs exposure.

[@femakampfcounselor8466]

💯

[@Vinemaple]

Well, you have to remember, this is a California police department, so all bets are off

[@ElainCorrine]

The fact that the parent was willing to make everyone whole. That the bid winner was willing to work with the parent, and the parent was willing to pay the auctions cut, should have been the end of it. Instead, someone got up on their high horse, and forced a situation that never needed to be brought into existence.

[@michaelshrader5139]

A Tyrant drunk on her little power-trip. Shame the county taxpayers and this little girl have to suffer for it.

[@chadachwilliam5515]

Her name will be MUD in that community now.

[@ratibbaker8564]

She should either not put the goat in the auction or should have worked with the buyer like every other 4H auction I have been to, instead of stealing and trying to hide the goat!

[@hermesten1000]

@@ratibbaker8564 Stealing, LOL......yeah, so, disregard all the facts to serve your biases.

[@ratibbaker8564]

@@hermesten1000 look at the case before you spout! She stole the goat after putting it in the auction, when they figured out that she stole it, they told her to bring it back! Only after she was caught did she try to negotiate trying to keep it! She was originally expecting to keep the goat and the money from selling it! It was only after it was discovered she stole it and tried to hide it that she even contacted the buyer! In every 4H auction I have been to, if the kid wants the animal back the buyer usually gives it to them! Most of the buyers are just donating the money to the 4Hers anyway. No one would pay that much for each animal normally!

[@MinionofNobody]

I spent twenty six years in law enforcement in California. I was a law school student, law school graduate, or licensed attorney for most of that. In my opinion, law enforcement does a pretty good job on routine matters. This is not one of those cases. In my opinion, law enforcement should have never taken a police report about this incident let alone taken enforcement action. They should have told the reporting party this was a civil dispute and washed their hands of it. Steve did a good job of discussing the issues that were obvious to me.

[@jjbud3124]

Interestingly, if the Fair had just been reasonable and accepted the offer, this whole thing would have been non-news. Now it's going to court and in the news. . Everyone will know, and if the child wins the law suit, will know they can opt out - just what the Fair was trying to prevent.

[@digilyd]

And it is told and retold all over the planet, it is not in the local news, it is in the global news.

[@plcwboy]

If the mother would have just a) not put the goat in the auction or b) purchased the goat at the auction there would have been no 'thing' to be news.

[@jean6453]

@@plcwboy The court will disagree with your assessment of this case.

[@lag0matic]

Even if it was news, it would be a feel good story about a fair, a politician, and a little girl and her goat. It would be blip on facebook about how this little girl loved Cedar so much she fought to keep him and won. Instead, this complete clusterf-ck, and huge negative press hit.

[@ablebaker8664]

​@@plcwboy And, maybe the fair directors should have understood the law and the concept of voidability of a contract with a child. I mean... they are adults aren't they?

[@918_xDx]

They probably yelled at the lid "Let me see your ID!" or "Stop resisting!"

[@r.1599]

This event is going to be talked about in the adult child's therapy sessions, for decades.

[@StephenYang]

I'm really surprised there isn't a standard process for cases like that. I mean, how many kids go into 4H and get attached to their animal every year?

[@MattOGormanSmith]

Maybe this IS the process they've developed to "blood" as many kids as they can.

[@pmc2999]

I think it varies from state to state and even with different 4H clubs. But the moment the buyer was willing to back out and the mother to pay that should have the end of it. This was sheer vindictiveness. It is disheartening that people can be so petty.

[@CGriffinGo]

This is heartbreaking for the little girl and bad publicity for the Fair.

[@Doug-gp2qw]

Either the fair officials filed an inaccurate police report, or the police priorities are way out of line. There is no way they should spend that amount of resources for a civil dispute.

[@michaelccopelandsr7120]

It's time to start pulling their certification as part of the lawsuits. Don't let them resign so they can get hired at another precinct and do it all over again or collect a pension for preying on the people they swore to protect. STOP THE INSANITY!!

[@BohemothWatts-vz1lc]

My family used to contribute to the 4H Club. But because of this story I will not give 4H Club a penny.

[@rubinthomas8586]

I really feel there is more to the story for the police to be willing to drive 500 miles for a 'goat theft'. It's absurd these people didn't show kindness towards this little girl. Even stranger that they did this with the buyer being willing to end the deal.

[@EXROBOWIDOW]

The buyer was Brian Dahle, a Republican State Senator, and sometime political opponent of Governor Newsom, a Democrat. Does this matter, in the far northern part of the state? Maybe.

[@michaeltammaro482]

​@@EXROBOWIDOW Leave to a Leftist DemonRAT KNUCKLEHEAD.

[@boldCactuslad]

Did you know that some parts of the country are not riddled with criminals? You know, like farming regions? It's entirely possible that the police put the goat at the end of the list, and then got to it. This may be a difficult concept for city dwellers...

[@ThePtlhome]

That state fair probably maintains excellent relationships with the police administration. - They need lots of police oversight and involvement to run the fair every year, from traffic, to security, to general public safety. - The state fair administrators would have to meet with police administrators on a regular basis, each and every year, to coordinate this oversight. Then, during the fair, things go down, police are called. I imagine a lot of free meals, bevereages, and fair tickets are handed out to police and police officials, free fair concert passes, etc.. - Relationships and alliances are formed, going back years. So, this fair official needs a gout 'retrieved', she knows just who to call, regardless of the law. - I hope they do sue, and supeona the cops who made the 500 mike trip - ask them who ordered it, then supeona him, and so on, and so on, and, eventually, you will trace it back to the police official who oversees Public Safety for the state fair, and is probably on the board of the state fair, etc..

[@rispil7086]

@witchybitchynikki that's your opinion and just like butts every one has one doesn't mean yours is right any animal can be a pet or live stock its up to the person raising it to decide not any one else

[@jelliebird37]

The little girl’s mother should sue this self important, self anointed, Goddess of County Fair Future Meat Ranchers for *intentional* infliction of emotional distress. She is a sadistic bully getting her jollies by asserting her illegitimate power over this little girl by forcing her to be an actual party to her pet being butchered. Sadistic. Sinister. Sociopathic. Pure evil.

[@scotteklof5082]

Steve I really appreciate your videos. I have a ten year old daughter and live just south of Shasta County. I will never view the Shasta County fair again. This is reprehensible

[@tomowens7301]

I was in the FFA in highschool, which is similar to 4H. I took animals to the fair. So when the animal was purchased by a buyer the animal and the meat belongs to the buyer. So in this case it belonged to the politician. If the goat was supposed to be donated to a charity BBQ, that donation is between the politician and the charity. It sounds like someone has over reached here.

[@jonsmith9045]

Only one thing that could be going through their mind, "I would drive 500 miles and i would drive 500 more just to be the police that drove 1,000 miles to wind up with a goat" i think this could be a hit song.

[@laurie113]

Love that song! Lol

[@lloydpenfold486]

“County officials were clear that they wanted to teach this little girl a lesson.” They certainly did that. Today's Lesson: Is This Country More Cruel Or Stupid? Discuss.

[@psychickumquat]

As someone who grew up in 4H, the fact someone would go this overboard doesn't surprise. Though most people were incredible, a small few that held leadership positions went on a power trip and would get bent out of shape if they didn't get their way. This reads like a fair organizer who wants to put the screws to someone who "defied" her...

[@death13a]

Considering that goat was emotional support animal for a grieving child. Fair should pay for that child's therapy for lifetime!

[@conservativeriot5939]

No way, this country is too litigious. It's a life lesson that animals are raised for slaughter.

[@johndoey9918]

@@conservativeriot5939 Not all animals though.

[@conservativeriot5939]

@@johndoey9918 some of them are used for tools or companionship but it's only because we're rich so we don't eat them at the end of their lives.

[@johndoey9918]

@@conservativeriot5939 ... rich enough to pay $902 to have it killed.

[@Archone666]

@@conservativeriot5939 So if I stole your dog and slaughtered it for food, that'd be okay? Because that's LITERALLY what you are arguing in favor of - taking someone else's pet and killing it, because "we eat animals."

[@goombabear]

The child would have learned responsibility by paying her mother back for the goat and help pay for the upkeep of the goat. Even adults break contracts.

[@loufrando]

Cops won’t even take a report over stolen cars and tools or SA half the time but they’ll travel across state lines & 500 miles for a less than $1000 goat. What? Even if the info they were given just said it was stolen. Still. What?! The cops don’t give a rats *ss about stolen items at that low value. This was 100,000% the fair director & friends getting in their feelings and thinking they were gonna use police & the legal system to ‘parent’ another’s parents child. It’s literally off the charts ridiculous. I have respect for the ag industry and culture but if a 9 yr old tries 4H for the 1st time & decides it’s not for them you’re going to ‘enforce it’? That’s not teaching respect. That girl does not respect the 4H or the ag industry or the police anymore. Good job 👏 Also, ILLEGAL. 👌

[@skoshman1]

I can imagine a meme from this going like: 4H: "Let's teach this little girl the lesson we meant to teach her, and skip the judge." The judge in the later civil trial: "And the court takes that personally."

[@MannyBrum]

A recent article says that the fair slaughtered the goat despite notices saying the court was going to determine custody of the goat. Text messages showed people at the auction tried to cover up where the goat went after slaughter. One person said "If anyone asks it was killed and sent to a non profit" and someone else replied "we're a non profit" so it sounds like the fair might have kept the meat for themselves.

[@MrTruckerf]

Girl should have got to keep her goat!

[@maartenvanzoeren2310]

Girl should not take her goat to the fair and enter it into the meat goat competition.

[@ericwilliams1659]

​@@maartenvanzoeren2310 correct

[@BenEllick]

@@maartenvanzoeren2310 This might shock you, but 9 year olds are not completely rational actors, nor should the be expected to be.

[@plcwboy]

@@BenEllick one of the points of education is to make them think like rational actors.

[@DM-mi4je]

​@@plcwboy 9 year old. Literally not entirely capable. Also the education system only teaches obedience and ignorance.

[@LMLewis]

From the Yakima Herald: ."the young girl’s plight here is not as rare as you think. Ryan Gordon, the lawyer representing Long, said that every year, his firm, Advancing Law for Animals, is contacted by youngsters participating in fairs who are looking to save their animals from slaughter-only auctions. Several years ago, he represented the songwriter Diane Warren, who bought a lamb, Cotton, from a slaughter-only auction at a Santa Barbara County fair after the boy who raised Cotton asked for her help. “The fair refused to turn over Cotton alive and said it would only deliver his meat,” Gordon said. “Ms. Warren retained us, and we acquired an emergency court order providing a last-minute stay of execution against the slaughterhouse.”

[@lightsidesoul]

The only lesson that girl learned was "Never give *that* fair any business again".

[@ninacherry3997]

I think it’s interesting that the goat was $902. Most local police in California won’t pursue things unless it is over $900.

[@mazzith]

The mother should have never put the goat up for auction to begin with. I still do not understand why the fair officials would not allow them to back out to begin with.

[@JeffreyIsbell]

I’d like to see the Fair’s written evidence that the parents agreed in writing that their daughter would “learn a lesson”.

[@stanley526]

The 4 "hs" in the 4H Club stand for... My Head to clearer thinking My Heart to greater loyalty My Hands to larger service My Health to better living For my club, my community, my country and my world. I don't think they're living up to their part of the contract.

[@kennethjoseph4227]

The 4-H should be ashamed of their performance in this case. The police need to be ashamed of themselves. Specially in California where they are letting criminals run the show, while driving 500 miles to pickup a goat.

[@Off-HandedBarrel]

If the fair was an arbitrator, then the argument would have to be made that they ever owned or had rights to the goat in the first place. Most auction houses don't own what they auction. That's why they get a cut off of the seller and the buyer. They insure the pieces for what they stand to gain on their approximate value and what it'd cost to replace if stolen. They transfer responsibility for the security of the piece. They might have possession of the piece, but they don't usually have any stake in ownership. If the two parties have their own agreement, it doesn't mean jack to the auction anyway. You cant cut them out of it , but they are just owed a percentage of an appraised value. Not the item.

[@raymonko]

This is one of the most painful stories you covered. Very reminiscent of your pet-as-property story.

[@michaelshrader5139]

@CJRock And it was the high-bidder's goat.... and HE indicated HE was fine with the little girl keeping that animal! So what business did the fair have in it as long as they got their little auction commission? How does the fair decide what must become of somebody else's animal exactly? At no point was that goat ever the property of the County Fair! It was HIS goat he had every right to donate it back to the child and let the child's parent cover the fair auction commission cost... they had a deal as far as I can tell!

[@jayshutman3101]

The lesson that they taught the child is that it's okay to break the law and force specific performance against a minor, without a court being involved.

[@mballer]

A trained goat is not just any goat.

[@almostfm]

When I was HS, I dated a girl who raised FFA animals. She had sheep that she knew was going to auction, and she named it "Food", because (in her words) "I don't want her getting any ideas".

[@charlesbutterfield3464]

Pets are members of the family. A 9 year old girl does not understand that her pet is being sold for slaughter.

[@jeromethiel4323]

Florida - "Nobody can out Florida man!" California - "Hold my beer!"

[@beekeeper8474]

Hold my hormone pills more like it

[@RobbLeece]

Hi Steve. An Auctioneer is only acting as agents for both buyers and sellers. Effectively entering into a dual agency situation on every transaction. The Auctioneer and auction company still owes fiduciaries to both clients. I'd love to hear what you think about this case from an agency perspective.

[@ladyddelpheine5993]

UM A CHILD CANT SIGN ANY CONTRACTS LEGALLY!! SHE CAN BACK OUT AT ANY TIME!!!

[@mnj1tdk12]

The cops could just say no. They're not obligated to go on a call, not obligated to make seizures or arrests if they do, and I've heard them say many times they have discretion in the field

[@hedonismbot1508]

This very channel has had plenty of stories with cops responding to reports of theft by claiming "it's a civil matter" and doing nothing. Plus in this case, they're traveling outside their normal jurisdiction, which may have given them another excuse to weasel out of this.

[@TheBandit7613]

@@hedonismbot1508 If there was ever a civil matter. Cops without brains.

[@michaelshrader5139]

Did the cops even bother to ask the most simple question, "Do you have any proof that YOU (sic. the county fair) are the legal owner of this stolen goat?" I don't see any scenario in which the county fair ever had any vested "interest" in that particular animal, at most they could have asked a court to uphold the auction contract and transfer the ownership and possession of the goat to the winning bidder (upon payment of the commission), who had already agreed that the animal be kept by the little girl and her family. Duhhhhh!

[@TheGalacticWest]

While we’re boycotting how bout we boycott this fair.

[@Other_People]

Please post updates on this case if they come!

[@curiousangel6321]

My mom occasionally tells me the story of a pig that she raised since birth. It grew so huge that a full grown adult male (her dad) could ride it like a horse. I think she said it was just under the size of a pony by a hand or 2. Anyway to end the story and ruin everyone's day. Her dad, my grandpa, took the pig to slaughter and brought back the meat and served it for dinner which she (around 9 at the time) was forced to eat. He later did the same thing to a calf me and my sister (around 5 or 6 at the time) raised, though we didn't get the meat from that one. Goodnight, I'm gonna go cry now.

[@ambilaevus7607]

Man that guy was mean.

[@curiousangel6321]

@Ambil Aevus I think it was more because he grew up in a very rural area in the 1930's and was more hardened to anything emotionally moving. I also don't think he was neural typical. He did get a lot more caring, to at least his grandkids, the older he got. All that said is no excuse for his actions. They are just reasons why I think he may have not known or cared about the emotional impact what his actions may have caused.

[@slcRN1971]

I can empathize with you because at age 8, I was given the task of raising a cute little runt goat. Yes, I really grew attached to it. One evening when it was supper time (we lived way up in the Pennsylvania mountains, in a very remote area), a large plate of meat was brought to the table. As I was about to put some on my plate, my mother informed us that this ‘food’ had been my pet goat!! I didn’t eat that night. This happened decades ago, yet I haven’t forgotten about it.

[@wickedbird1538]

😢😢My in-laws raised a few cows. When they had one slaughtered, they NEVER told their son the meat was from their cow.

[@Errenden]

Something I wanted to point out is that apparently this is the warrent said according to the LA times: Echoing language used when law enforcement search a home for drugs, the warrant allowed deputies to “utilize breaching equipment to force open doorway(s), entry doors, exit doors, and locked containers” and to search all rooms, garages and “storage rooms, and outbuildings of any kind large enough to accommodate a small goat.” Sick that these cops were planning to treat a nine year old like this.

[@mainely8007]

WOW! I was musing that "well at least they didn't go SWAT on her and kick down the door" - little did I know how close we were to that.

[@staticthewhitewolf7040]

Is this the same police department that went after the Batmobile? Sounds like the court now has to decide how much the death of a member of this nine-year-old family is worth in pain and suffering.

[@kevinhogan715]

Everyone involved with this should be fired for wasting taxpayers' money. This is really stupid.

[@professional_hackjob]

Why didn't they just let the Senator take possession of the goat and then buy it back from him? That would have been much simpler than letting the ignorant fair official get involved.

[@Vinemaple]

You have to understand, the egoes of fair officials and other petty office holders are a crucial part of our American democracy, and we cannot afford to have them threatened by outdated concepts like sentimentality or proper legal procedure.

[@Nick-zm2vm]

I grew up raising and showing goats in the 4-H. Everyone I knew at the fairs loved their goats and treated them as pets. Anyone of us would be devastated if a fair official forcibly took a goat from us. The only lesson that little girl learned is that you can't trust the government or fair officials.

[@darkwing3713]

A lesson that everyone needs to learn.

[@N0Sheeple]

Define irony... "FAIR Officials"

[@trashcatlinol]

Or simply you can't trust authority. Had a similar situation happen to me at that age, and though it can be a healthy mistrust in some situations, it's incredibly isolating and makes it hard to trust the authorities who are actually on your side.

[@10thstjeep]

So you were aware your goats were to be slaughtered? Or did you think they were auctioned and sent to live on a farm somewhere else?? That's what my folks would have told me!!

[@ddanielmiester]

@@trashcatlinol The longer I live, the more instances I see, and the greater my cynisism towards earthly authority. For every --rare-- situation where it can be thought "Oh I'm glad the authorities took care of that" I encounter 50 where I just shake my head and think we'd be better off if they all decided to follow Musk to mars.

[@MizMissiB]

I was a 4-H goat leader for years. Frequently a kid gets attached to their goat and it’s been the policy of the fair to allow the child to pay a no sale fee and keep their animal

[@michaelshrader5139]

Which is the right reasonable and humane thing to do. And this should have been the lesson, instead.

[@afuzzycreature8387]

🐐

[@MizMissiB]

@@michaelshrader5139 very well put

[@mainely8007]

@@michaelshrader5139 Very well put. Rules and regulations can always have exceptions to them, especially when the application of the law is obtuse, cruel or harmful un-necessarily.

[@ImprovmanZero]

So that might be really bad for the leader at court.

[@jarhar007]

500 miles? I smell a good Ole boys connection between the sheriff's office and the auction.

[@maxxcarver5502]

That's the only thing that makes sense. It's not stupidity. It's Malicious!

[@kriscarmelo]

Yup. I was thinking the same thing.

[@alexiscobian9146]

It’s clear as day

[@icedcoffee8561]

This video must have blown up recently lol all these comments from the past couple weeks

[@alexiscobian9146]

@@icedcoffee8561 like 4 comments lol

[@skystryker2300]

The only thing that poor little girl learned was that adults and authority don't care about her or anyone else, except money and being right.

[@jeffthompson9622]

Winning isn't the same as being right. Hopefully the fair officials will be taught that.

[@paulne1514]

Except her Mom, who did everything right.

[@mzmadmike]

She learned the meaning of the words LIVESTOCK AUCTION, which she should have known before stepping into the ring.

[@bwenluck9812]

​@@mzmadmike The kid is 9 years old!!! Most kids don't even know what planet they're on at that age.... Let alone what a contract means--that's why contracts cannot be signed by minors and are unenforcable....

[@JodyBruchon]

Because that's often true.

[@lazloholyfield9902]

Can't believe the fair director decided this was the hill she would die on without a lawyer's advice.

[@phookadude]

So someone steals your house by moving into it when you aren't around and the police will tell you "it's a civil matter" but when it's a goat they will drive around the state for it.

[@davidkuehne476]

In a version with no squatting where someone stole your car, they wouldn't do more than phone the local PD where it was known to be located, and tell you that you or your agent could try to go get it through that PD.

[@solidmoon8266]

Especially when someone with money can call in a "favor" to take it.

[@lonebikeroftheapocalypse9527]

Because a state senator was the high bid.

[@mzmadmike]

@@lonebikeroftheapocalypse9527 Because the contract was to buy the goat. Let's say they buy your car and you take it back...grand theft auto.

[@stratblacknosugar.5125]

The adults involved could of sorted this out in a minute, it seems almost like child abuse.

[@ulyssesm.daniels6927]

They did a great job teaching her not to trust authority figures. Good work fair council. 👏🏻

[@oldman4803]

That fair/4H director said they did this to teach that child a lesson sure hit the nail on the head. They taught her (and the other kids) Don't trust anybody in authority.

[@mainely8007]

What kind of lesson involves deliberately killing someone's pet? Imagine doing this to your own kids puppy or kitten because you want them to learn a lesson. What kind of lesson I would ask.

[@troy8485]

Not to mention the lesson may be--- "How to sue" and "NEVER trust law-enforcement".

[@foobar8894]

@Mainely Isn't that clear? The point of this while thing is to desensitize children to the slaughter of animals, probably to make them good farmers or something. That's why the mother's offer to reimburse was rejected, it never was about money

[@DoroNijimaru]

now the director needs taught a lesson 💯

[@SunRabbit]

Like Stalin said: "Don't trust anyone, not even yourself."

[@agkittyhook2257]

The 1st line of the 4-H pledge is "I pledge my head to clearer thinking." Obviously the 4-H fair CEO was not living up to that pledge and should be immediately removed as CEO.

[@subliminal-damage]

I just want to applaud the mother for doing everything she could to stand up for her daughter. Not every parent would offer that much trouble and money over a pet goat. She truly just wanted her daughter to be happy.

[@robertawalsh2995]

I'm not giving the mom a standing ovation. My POV is the mom wasn't open with her daughter about what would happen to the goat because she saw it as an easy way to get rid of the goat once it was no longer small and cute. It was late in the game when the daughter found out what was going on and mom was desperate not to be the bad guy. So now, all of a sudden, mom is the good guy. Until next time.

[@tayzonday]

One really wonders how this prioritizes public safety.

[@CarlosRios1]

How can we be safe when there's kids with pet goats around

[@ewoodley82]

BuT iT wAs To TeAcH hEr A lEsSon!!111!!111!! I've read a few different versions of this story before this video from Steve, the whole thing is a load of BS.

[@chaseman113]

It’s safe way to instill distrust of authority figures early on in a child’s life.

[@DirtyPlumbus]

The courts actually just ruled police enforce traffic laws, not for safety but for profit. How many times do the courts have reinforce the ruling that nobody from government has any duty to protect citizens before people accept none of it has anything to do with public safety?

[@ancientsociety79]

The police have no duty to protect individuals or promote public safety. That's been settled legal precedent for decades.

[@ghoffmann821]

This could have been an opportunity for premium PR for that state senator. Buy the goat, "pardon" it, and give it to the girl as a gift. This is a stupid situation.

[@bluedistortions]

Thank you for pointing out the Senators fault. They try to excuse his bad behavior by saying, "hey, he said he's 'ok' with the girl getting the goat back." What a great guy! No. He was apathetic. He didn't care one way or the other. He knew if he insisted on having his goat BBQ, it would look bad, so he aquiesed, but if he had cared even 1%, he could have ensured the girl got her goat back easily. He didn't. And that is telling. All he gave was a verbal agreement not to press charges against a little girl for not eating specifically her pet, sad THAT is what's considered a "great man" these days.

[@les005znbm]

kinda my first thought on this.

[@JohnHenryEdenUSA]

This sounds like a breach of contract, a civil matter. Police should have just told them it's a civil matter, like they do with other things that are actually criminal.

[@Tugela60]

Police have a responsibility to maintain order though, so they will get involved in enforcing civil matters when one party refuses to comply.

[@Travisrogers87]

@@Tugela60 there was nothing to comply with yet. There was no court order, no writ, nothing. The civil matter needs to be decided before it can be enforced.

[@rylandavis2976]

​@@Tugela60 police cant legally enforce any civil disputes WITHOUT a specific order from the court explaining what needs to happen exactly.

[@AdmiralStoicRum]

Thing is with rural stuff like that, the person running the fair has fingers in every single pie. This includes county law enforcement. Were they in jurisdiction and were they with a warrant. Two important questions

[@norezenable]

Yeah if non-delivery of merchandise was a crime, ecommerce would not be able to function. Every lost package would be a misdemeanor or worse. I don't see how this can rise to the level of criminal intent especially considering the girl's family or their agents have been in possession of the goat the entire time. It's undelivered merchandise, I think, criminally speaking. It's also not like they set out to commit some kind of fraud where they trick people into bidding on their goat then paying back all the money. That would be a terrible scheme. At this point, it should be sorted out in civil court. Using the police was the wrong move. Whoever signed that warrant should be out of a job.

[@adrienneb.4710]

The discretion the police use when choosing to wade into legal issues (and decline to wade into legal issues) still astounds me.

[@the_inquisitive_inquisitor]

I don't put a whole lot of responsibility on the actual police in this situation.

[@guzzidude7410]

"officer discretion" is a powerful tool for unethical, nefarious activities

[@davidrobertson5700]

You mean jump in with both feet just to fulfil their ego and whim upon a child ? These people are clearly doing something else with children and they need to be investigated

[@jong7513]

There is no issue too small that the police won't go to an extreme

[@JRock3091]

They get hard, exerting force on people. We no longer live in a Republic, we live in an oligarchy. And a police state set up around protecting the oligarchs.

[@soundhealer6043]

I'd say the lesson the little girl learned from this is that there are people in the world who are devoid of compassion and empathy.

[@davidsimmons8628]

Yes! thier teaching them to hate at a very early age!👹

[@Kurgosh1]

Children do need to learn that there are psychopaths out there who will hurt them for the pure entertainment value of it. So I guess mission accomplished?

[@larrythayer1452]

Right! Not only that but these people are government officials who we are supposed to trust. Do I trust the government? Of course I do. I trust that the government will take you down one way or the other.

[@kramer00999]

And people will lie to manipulate law enforcement to get their way. And there are some Law enforcement that don't investigate or follow the law either.

[@russellhltn1396]

Even if this had all gone right, the girl would have learned she's not farmer material. That's not the lesson that the fair director wanted to teach, but I don't see that as undermining their mission.

[@edl653]

On the Sheriff Office's side, who was the idiot who approved driving 500 miles to retrieve the goat? If I was the police chief, I would have paid for the goat myself. 😅

[@bluedistortions]

Nobody loves spending over frivolous reasons like government officials. Easy overtime! $100 an hour to do nothing! They'd rather confiscate a little girls pet than go confront a drug dealer. You better believe it.

[@domino4843]

Yes, the "Police Chief" told the "Sheriff's Office" to get the goat. SMH

[@oldmaninthecave]

I live in the county where this happened, and it's a huge embarrassment. The only lesson taught by the Fair officials was that some people can be assholes. The state senator who won the auction was very willing to let the goat go back to the child, but apparently the police who retrieved the goat delivered it to an event where it was slaughtered, bar-be-qued, and consumed. Far more important is the lessons of kindness and compassion. If you always act with kindness and compassion first, the lesson of responsibility will be learned as a natural consequence.

[@lightsidesoul]

Wait, so the Senator didn't even *get* the goat?

[@oldmaninthecave]

@@lightsidesoul I believe it was the Senator's intention all along to donate it to the bar-be-que. He's a putz anyway.

[@davidturk6170]

“They reported the goat was stolen.” If the girl had not received payment for the goat, wasn’t she still the owner?

[@cdc3]

Not a lawyer. But I'll take a stab at it anyway. To finalize a contract, it is my belief that earnest money or goods must change hands for a contract to be valid and enforceable. That appears not to have happened here.

[@stoyanb.1668]

They made a contract with a minor, thus within a reasonable time, the minor can cancel the contract. Cali law. So the goat was their property and the auction sold something which they didn't own.

[@yellingintothewind]

@@cdc3 Not exactly. Lehto did a video a bit ago talking about this topic, but you can have a contract before either money or goods change hands. The legal-non-answer is the contract is formed when there is an exchange of obligations. But that is kinda just saying the contract is formed when the contract is formed. As a distinct, but related matter, is when a _particular_ item changes ownership. If you enter into a purchase agreement to buy something mail order, and it never arrives, whose problem is it? If the contract says you gain ownership of it the moment it leaves the factory, it is your problem. If the sales contract was for the seller to put the widget on your loading dock, it is the seller's problem. Up until that point, you might have a contract to take posession of _a_ widget, but it is likely non specific as to the serial number of the particular widget you will get. If the sales contract does not specify, there will be some regionally specific rule. Tying this back to the matter at hand, there are questions which we cannot presently answer, as we do not have the particular contracts involved. For one, was the auction-commission contract with the mother or the daughter? (Could easily be either). If it was with the daughter, was it executed early enough to be outside the "reasonable" window for a minor to recind a contract? (Unlikely). Did the auction commission contract explicitly give the fair an ownership stake in the livestock? That would be quite unlikely as it opens them to liability for sick or defective products, complicates their accounting, and is otherwise a poor choice. Much more likely is the only contract with the fair association is that of a simple broker, and that contract is complete when the percentage fee is paid. The contract with the state senator is another matter, but it sounds like that was never executed. Even if it was, unless there is a separate agreement between the senator and the fair association making them his agents in procuring the goat, they have no business being involved past the auction. Even if there is an agency-agreement, they have no business being involved once he agreed to recind or not execute the contract.

[@cdc3]

@@yellingintothewind Interesting. Seems there's a need to understand such contracts before buying anything from a distance. Thanks!

[@yellingintothewind]

@@cdc3 Certainly if you are buying anything expensive. If you want to dive into it, the search term to start is "Free On Board" or "shipping FOB". I am not a lawyer, but there is an entire class at Uni for business majors devoted to contract law that covers this sort of thing. You also must pick it up quickly if you work someplace doing procurement.

[@JeffSearust]

They sent police to "teach a 9 year old a lesson"... Anyone see a problem with this? And cops wonder why people hate them.

[@NightStalkers-hx3dq]

Law enforcement acted on information given to them under the assumption the information was correct, not false.

[@madmaximilian5783]

@@NightStalkers-hx3dq people nowadays use cops to do their personal bidding for crimes all the time.

[@michaelshrader5139]

@@NightStalkers-hx3dq Law Enforcement should try engaging in something called "due diligence" then, before becoming involved in anything like this! This is why people around the nation are sick and tired of "law enforcement personnel". This was a civil matter, and the police had NO business getting into it!

[@timrosencrans7955]

They did their job they Seized stolen property. The transfer of ownership happened when they entered the fairgrounds. This is what they agreed to and yes, the mother did sign off on this. Auctioned animals can go into the thousands of dollars they do require the parents signature.

[@Evilroco]

@@timrosencrans7955 It's was not stolen property as the buyer agreed to sell the goat back , the fair organisers misrepresented the facts to the police, or didn't you comprehend anything said As far as I can tell the fair as merely the agent for the sale and never the owner hence the commission And I lived on a cattle farm most of my life and have no problem with sending animals to slaughter.

[@johnkovalsky9878]

The young girl didn’t want to turn over the goat because she wanted to find him a nice home to grow up. I think that is one of the most responsible things I’ve ever heard.