Goats at ServiceNet group home in Deerfield prove to be therapeutic for residents

BY MADISON SCHOFIELD

THE GREENFIELD RECORDER

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2024

DEERFIELD — Larry, Moe and Curly are settling in at ServiceNet’s group home and are embracing their role not as a comedic trio, but as therapy professionals.

The three Alpine goats, named after The Three Stooges, are providing residents with emotional support and companionship. ServiceNet, a nonprofit offering mental health services and recovery programs throughout western Massachusetts, operates six mental health recovery homes in Franklin County, including the goats’ new home along Lower Road.

Jamie Jackman, a recovery home program manager for ServiceNet, said the idea to bring goats to the group home came about last spring, after seeing how well the residents responded when chickens were brought to the property.

“We decided on goats for the program because we wanted to introduce some therapeutic animals and give our participants a sense of responsibility, routine and structure [while] providing care for another living creature,” said Haylee Keene, a ServiceNet residential program supervisor.

Keene said spending time with animals has been proven to release endorphins and improve moods, and is beneficial for residents who struggle with depression and anxiety.

“The chickens we brought in previously had a noticeable effect on residents’ mental well-being, and goats felt like a natural next step,” Julie Elias, ServiceNet’s vice president of mental health recovery services, said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful to the Home Depot Foundation for making this expansion possible. The goats give our residents a wonderful outlet for interaction, mindfulness and care.”

The Home Depot Foundation donated a shed, which was installed by Tuff Shed earlier this month, to provide the goats with a safe, comfortable place to rest during the evening or poor weather.

The Deerfield group home’s four residents named the goats Larry, Moe and Curly, and have already developed a strong bond with them. One resident reflected on how having the goats is therapeutic, offering a companion to talk to about anything that might be bothering them.

Jackman said the residents are tasked with the goats’ daily care. They feed and clean up after the animals, and spend a lot of time with them. The goats are 5 months old and came from K+R Homestead in Putney, Vermont.

The group home will be getting a fourth goat, who has not been named yet. Keene said ServiceNet had only wanted to buy three male goats, but the three boys had a sister who also needs a home. Not wanting to see her left behind, the farm offered the fourth goat to ServiceNet as a donation.

The goats seem to enjoy their new home as well, Keene said. They were told the goats may be loud, anxious and a tad rambunctious during their first few weeks as they settle in, but the goats have been fairly calm and friendly.

The only problem that has come up so far involved the gate latch. Jackman said on their third day in Deerfield, one of the goats escaped the enclosure. They were able to get him back inside the enclosure and have since fixed the latch, but now encourage the residents and ServiceNet staff to be extra mindful about making sure the gate is closed.

For now, the goats live on the property simply as cute companions for the residents, but ServiceNet hopes to eventually incorporate them into the recovery curriculum by bringing residents — including those from the organization’s other group homes — to the Deerfield house for goat yoga sessions.

Jackman added that she dreams of bringing all sorts of critters to the house. A duck pond could be next.

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or [email protected].