Stella the goat doing well after surviving lynx attack in northwestern Ontario - Action News
Home WebMail Saturday, November 30, 2024, 03:41 AM | Calgary | -15.5°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
Thunder BayAudio

Stella the goat doing well after surviving lynx attack in northwestern Ontario

The owner of the goat that was at the centre of a nearly unbelievable story from a year ago, says the animal is now fully recovered.

Stella was attacked and wounded by lynx in her owner's home last March, but managed to get the last 'baaah'

Northwestern Ontario's John Cox says the story of "goat vs. lynx" has made the rounds so much that there are very few campfires where he isn't asked to recount it. (Supplied by John Cox)
On the outdoor column, we will check in on Stella the goat, the seemingly invincible creature that was attacked by a lynx a year ago near Dinorwic. Stella was at the heart of a story of survival many of you heard..and will likely never forget.

The owner of the goat that was the victim ofa vicious lynx attacka year ago, says the animal is now fully recovered.

John Cox, of Dinorwic, about 325 km northeast of Thunder Bay, says his goat Stella has become something of a northwestern Ontario celebrity and was a star attraction at the Dryden Fall Fair.

She follows us around like a dog ... a vegetarian dog.- John Cox

He saidthe the pelt of the lynx that attacked and nearly killedStella was also on display there.

Cox saidthe story of goatvs.lynxhas made the rounds so much that there are very few campfires where he isn't asked to recount it.

"It's crazy. It's outlandish," said Cox of the story. "It sounds like I'm lying."

Cox said Stella's experience with the wild cat even spawned a run of t-shirt'swere made by a company inDryden called Tattoo for You.

A special production of Goat vs. Lynx t-hirts were made in honour of Stella by Tattoo for You, in Dryden, Ont. (Gord Ellis/CBC )

Stella survives more threats, losses

Not all has been rosy for Stella since the attack, however.

Coxsaidlast summer, Stella's female "kid"was taken by wolves.

In late October, another lynx was going for his goat pen, but Cox said he intervened just in time.

A picture of John Cox's pet goat, Stella, after a lynx attack last year. These are the wounds she received when the lynx clung to her back as she ran inside the family home. (John Cox)

Cox saidhe does wonder if Stellaremembers the attack that took placeinside his house.

"It's funny because she will come to the door, and sometimes she will poke her head in and have a look around," he told CBC News.

"I'm wondering, in a goat mind, is she still running these things through her head?

This past winter has been mostly free of threats, he added.

"I haven't seen any lynx or wolf tracks in the snow," he said.

Stella, a goat owned by John Cox, of Dinorwic, Ont., has become quite a celebrity after surviving a lynx attack last year. (photo credit: John Cox )

Overall, Cox said Stella is mostly acting how you would expect all goats to act, and getting back to the life of a domestic animal.

"She's gone back to normal, head-butting (other goats), chewing grass and apples and things," he said.

"We've even taken her snowshoeing. I was thinking about putting some packs on her back. She follows us around like a dog ...vegetarian dog."

Owner John Cox says Stella is back to being a normal goat head butting and eating grass and apples. (photo credit: John cox)

The original CBC radio piece about Stellahas been nominated for an RTDNAaward. Goat vs Lynx is upfor aDave Rogers Award in small and medium radio markets in the long-feature category.