Oreo the urban goat loses right to roam St. Paul, is captured by search team

Photo by Mykl Roventine

​Oreo's days of roaming the hillside above Concord Street in South St. Paul have come to an end. Now the urban goat will live out the rest of her life on a hobby farm, a boring life for a legendary goat that made city life work since 2007.

On a good note: At least Oreo wasn't killed by cops. Last year, the neighborhood freaked out when a cop shot and killed another urban goat. The cop said it was threatening residents.

It took 20 volunteers and much of the day Saturday to catch Oreo. She wasn't going down easy. The mission had been in the making for months, with volunteers drafting an eight-page ORP (Oreo Recovery Plan) and collecting necessary supplies. One neighbor started feeding Oreo on a regular schedule to make it easier to find her. There were spotters, feeders, and veterinary staff, ready to shoot her with a tranquilizer and take her in.

Oreo had been roaming the area after likely escaping from the stockyards of St. Paul. She had the smarts to get away from the volunteers, at least for awhile.

More from the Pioneer Press:

Oreo's elusiveness was OK with some onlookers who gathered along Concord.

"I'm personally rooting for the goat," said Marty Griepentrog, who manages Minikahda Mini Storage. "Go, goat!"

Johns fired a dart that hit Oreo, but it didn't stick and she got up and ran. Volunteer Brent White and University of Minnesota veterinarian Cindy Wolf gave chase.

Oreo eventually ran another 25 yards and then gave up. She was cornered behind a house, exhausted from the day-long chase.

And her medical check-up? Oreo is a "healthy old lady." How charming.