A Moscow court on Tuesday prohibited an elderly resident from keeping goats at his home in the Russian capital after receiving complaints about the animals wandering the streets and producing foul smells.
Valery Anikeev, 77, has kept 16 goats at his home in southern Moscow’s Zyuzino district since at least the mid-1990s, state media reported. In recent years, videos of his animals umping onto cars and bursting into stores have gone viral.
In August, local veterinary authorities sought to ban Anikeev from keeping the goats at his home, citing health risks. The animals regularly graze near apartment buildings, with some residents expressing concern that they might spread diseases.
Moscow’s Zyuzino District Court banned Anikeev from keeping the animals at his home until he complies with veterinary laws.
The Russian military broadcaster Zvezda reported that the court ordered Anikeev to construct a fence and shelter for the animals.
“They probably want me to build a cattle yard,” Anikeev told reporters after Tuesday’s hearing, saying he would comply with the order after consulting with the authorities. He was then filmed pouring goat milk for journalists.
“I didn’t know there’d be so many of you,” Anikeev said.
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