All kidding and jocularity aside, GoatWorld began to really take shape in early 2000. I had signed up to a goat list to get more information on the health and management of our goats. One night, a post came in from an individual who was having trouble with a sick goat. For some reason, no one responded to this person and subsequently his goat died.
A few days later, there was talk on the list about this unfortunate incident and someone mentioned having a network of phone numbers available so that something like this would not happen again. It took me about 5 minutes to create a web site, an idea, and get it posted on the web site. Within a matter of a week, there were at least 10 people nationwide listed. Thus began the Goat911 "Capri-Medic" program.
At first there was a bit of resistance to the Goat911 program as there were already a great number of sites who had been in existence much longer than GoatWorld, but who had never had this idea. So there may have been some jealousy, hard feelings, kicking ones self in the butt for not having come up with the idea before. But above the din and shouting rose the true spirit of Goat911 - to help save goats lives. Not to make money. Not to spark interest in the GoatWorld site. To help save goats lives.
Almost 6 months from the site launch, the Goat911 Network had grown and expanded to include the Goat911 Emergency Evacuation Network; a network of individuals who offer to provide shelter for goats and other livestock in the event of a natural disaster. So far, we have not had to use the evacuation network extensively, but it is there just in case.
So in a nutshell, what I am saying here is that GoatWorld.com has grown from a simple idea to a very enjoyable and educating endeavor. It's not a hobby by any means as the amount of information that needs to be added grows with each passing day. I know that I've come a very long way from my adolescent years as a 4-H member. I've even been recently asked to perhaps become a 4-H leader in our immediate area.
For a period of time in the 90's I had been responsible for owning and operating one of the first online radio stations called Music Monster Network. Music on the Internet was in its infancy and this was really years before all the legal wrangling over copyrights and downloads. Seeing the writing on the wall - and the proposed yearly music licensing fees by the RIAA (fees in the thoudands of dollars just to play a song!), I knew that it wouldn't be long until the sweeping changes would make it difficult to maintain the Monster and changing my focus to goats might be more enjoyable - it has been.
GoatWorld has become a great service that allows many like minded goat owners as well as other livestock owners to network. It is difficult to give the proper thank yous for the good people for helping to make GoatWorld a great site. Without them, it would only be a web site. Instead it is a community of caring and sharing individuals.
