Baaa-d Future for the Game of Thrones’ Goats (But YOU can help!)

Written by:  Levena Lindahl
Photo courtesy of:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/save-the-icelandic-goat-from-extinction

    Game of Thrones fans surely recognize the fluffy face above, Cassanova, the plucky
goat carried off by Drogon, one of the three dragons on the show.  While the dragon
menace to the goats was just a special effect in the show, Cassanova and nearly half
of his species are still in grave danger of extinction in real life.

     Cassanova is an Icelandic goat, and there are less than 820 members of this breed
left in the world.  Brought to Iceland by Vikings over a thousand years ago, this
species has seen its share of hardships.  At one point, there were less than ninety
Icelandic goats, and through tremendous breeding and conservation work they were
saved from extinction through the efforts of the Háafell farm, plus the efforts of Johanna
Thorvaldsdóttir and her family. 
     However, the family and farm are facing foreclosure, and this would put this species
in dire straits once again.  If Háafell farm is closed, over four hundred goats will be
killed, essentially cutting the population in half and drastically reducing their chances
of survival into the future.  In a bid to save the farm and the Icelandic goats, the family
has turned to Indiegogo (a grass roots fundraising website) to help save the farm and
kind, adorable goats like Cassanova.  The funds raised would save the farm and allow
them to branch out into other sustainable products, all based around goats and goat
byproducts.  This would include imported/exported products such as: soaps, wool,
milk, and various flavors of fudge.
     By donating, even a few dollars, you can help save this species of goats that have
footprints planted in a very distant past; it seems an awful indignity to let a species so
priceless be slaughtered for monetary reasons.   Not only will you help save a species
from extinction, you will also earn awesome goat gifts declaring how you saved
the Icelandic goat in the form of mugs and totes (My favorite being the fantastically
named “Totes M’ Goats”).  Would you, a devout Game of Thrones fan, want the
dragons eating anything but the best before they go on to take on the seven
kingdoms? Definitely not.  Please consider donating…SAVE THE GOATS MAN!