Investigators look into Dayton goat killing; Perhaps misunderstanding of local laws

Investigators are looking into a report of a goat being killed in the front yard of a Dayton home, which is connected to a family who was killing the animal for food.

News Center 7's Mike Campbell spent the day checking with several city departments about whether the incident could be a misunderstanding of local laws.

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According to a Dayton police report, officers found a man on the front porch skinning the goat. “There was a language barrier with the man, but it was clear he was skinning the goat for food,” the report stated.

Dayton became the first nationally certified welcoming city for immigrants and city leaders have spent a decade reaching out to make the community feel open and welcoming to those immigrants, but that doesn’t mean there might not be cultural differences - and this might be a case of that.

“They just, them people next door, they just killed a goat in the front yard,” the 9-1-1 caller stated that had officers headed to a neighborhood off Wayne Avenue. “I think they took a hammer to its head. I just think that’s extremely inhumane. It’s a goat, not a pig or a cow or something, it’s the city not the country.”

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One Dayton resident saw some of what happened but didn’t call anyone. He said he noticed many visitors coming into the home after the animal’s death.

“I don’t want to say much, it’s none of my business, they’re from a different country,” said Tim Combs. “It’s obviously for a religious thing, as long as they keep to themselves, I keep to myself.”

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Police didn’t arrest or cite anyone during their initial investigation.

News Center 7 reached out to the city law department and they said they believe city ordinance does prohibit the keeping of barnyard animals inside city limits but didn’t provide the specific ordinance.