VIDEO: 200 Goats Storm San Jose, California, Neighborhood After Escaping Enclosure

KEY POINTS

200 goats were caught on video storming a neighborhood in eastern San Jose, California, after escaping a nearby enclosure
The enclosure is set up once a year in the hills near the neighborhood so goats can be brought in to clear out brush
The goats were rounded up shortly after escaping, but not before feeding on the plants and gardens in the residents' yards

Around 200 goats invaded a neighborhood in San Jose, California, after escaping an enclosure set up by the city.

The goats escaped from the temporary enclosure around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and stormed the nearby neighborhood. The pack of goats ran through the streets in a manner some of the residents said resembled a strange jailbreak.

Zack Roelands, one of the residents, managed to record video of the goats making their way through the neighborhood. Roelands told reporters he had just gotten back from running errands when the goats appeared in front of his home.

Roelands said the goats were nearby because they are brought to the surrounding hills one week every year to “clear out dead grass” that is susceptible to fires. He said the enclosure they are typically kept in is electrified to ensure the goats don’t wander off. However, one of the goats appeared to tap the fence and set it off while going for food in one of the resident’s yards. The boards along the fence then broke, giving the goats an opening to escape.

While the goats avoided interaction with people, many feasted on the plants and gardens dotting the residents’ yards. Roelands said some even decided to “relieve” themselves on a few front lawns.

The goats were all rounded up by 6 p.m. and secured in a new enclosure.