08-24-2009, 11:53 AM
Auto repairman James Prusci has seen some unusual things left in the cars he works on, but nothing quite like what he found Friday in the trunk of a Chevy Malibu.
A woman came into the Tires Plus in Winona just before noon, asking if the shop had time to replace a belt.
Prusci started the paperwork.
"Oh, by the way," the woman said. "I have a goat in my trunk."
Prusci didn't think he heard her right.
"A what?"
"Yes, a goat," the woman said. "And it's alive."
She planned to butcher the animal later but was passing through Winona on her way to St. Paul when the car broke down, Prusci remembered her saying.
The woman, and a man and child who were waiting for her outside, left while Prusci and other workers began the repairs.
After about 10 minutes, they could hear the goat crying.
"We cracked open the trunk, you know, so it could breathe," Prusci said. "And sure enough, there it was. It kind of poked its head up."
The goat had been painted purple and gold - the colors for the Minnesota Vikings. Shaved into its side was the No. 4 - the number of Brett Favre, who made his Vikings debut Friday night in a preseason game in the Twin Cities.
The goat was lying on its side, tied at its feet. Prusci said it had some pretty big horns.
The workers closed the trunk - they couldn't have a goat wandering around the shop. But when they checked on the animal later, it wasn't moving as much.
They called animal control.
About an hour later, the woman arrived to pick up the car. Prusci told the woman that he didn't approve of what she'd done to the goat. She paid and left.
But as the woman walked toward her car, an animal control vehicle and two police cars pulled up, Prusci said.
He's not sure what happened next.
Winona Police Sgt. Chris Nelson confirmed Prusci's story Saturday morning, saying the goat was in the care of a local veterinarian.
Animal control officer Wendy Peterson, who investigated the incident, could not be reached for comment. It is unclear if the woman or man were cited.
As for Prusci, he's just thankful to hear the goat is OK.
"It was definitely the most out-of-the norm thing I've ever seen."
A woman came into the Tires Plus in Winona just before noon, asking if the shop had time to replace a belt.
Prusci started the paperwork.
"Oh, by the way," the woman said. "I have a goat in my trunk."
Prusci didn't think he heard her right.
"A what?"
"Yes, a goat," the woman said. "And it's alive."
She planned to butcher the animal later but was passing through Winona on her way to St. Paul when the car broke down, Prusci remembered her saying.
The woman, and a man and child who were waiting for her outside, left while Prusci and other workers began the repairs.
After about 10 minutes, they could hear the goat crying.
"We cracked open the trunk, you know, so it could breathe," Prusci said. "And sure enough, there it was. It kind of poked its head up."
The goat had been painted purple and gold - the colors for the Minnesota Vikings. Shaved into its side was the No. 4 - the number of Brett Favre, who made his Vikings debut Friday night in a preseason game in the Twin Cities.
The goat was lying on its side, tied at its feet. Prusci said it had some pretty big horns.
The workers closed the trunk - they couldn't have a goat wandering around the shop. But when they checked on the animal later, it wasn't moving as much.
They called animal control.
About an hour later, the woman arrived to pick up the car. Prusci told the woman that he didn't approve of what she'd done to the goat. She paid and left.
But as the woman walked toward her car, an animal control vehicle and two police cars pulled up, Prusci said.
He's not sure what happened next.
Winona Police Sgt. Chris Nelson confirmed Prusci's story Saturday morning, saying the goat was in the care of a local veterinarian.
Animal control officer Wendy Peterson, who investigated the incident, could not be reached for comment. It is unclear if the woman or man were cited.
As for Prusci, he's just thankful to hear the goat is OK.
"It was definitely the most out-of-the norm thing I've ever seen."