KSHB 41 reporter Grant Stephens covers stories involving downtown Kansas City, Missouri up to North Kansas City. Share your story idea with Grant.
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The greatest landscapers of all time are back.
And this time, the goats chowing down along Kansas City's Berkley Riverfront are supposed to be there.
RELATED | Mystery goats continue roaming along Kansas City's riverfront
Port KC has brought in goats for the third year to help trim down the overgrowth along the Riverfront Heritage Trail.
Roughly 30-40 goats will graze the area thanks to Goats Gone Green LLC.
“It’s a win, it’s a win, it’s a win," said Meredith Hoenes, director of communications at Port KC. "They are great for the environment, they are an easy non-chemical option, [and] they bring happiness and joy to people at the same time.”
Goats are also cheaper than bringing in a crew of human landscapers to do the job. Plus, the goats can get into hard-to-reach places too steep for human feet.
“They know their job," said Kyle Alvis, with Goats Gone Green. "We’ll unload them, they’ll go right to work.”
It's not the first time folks have seen goats along the river.
Besides the goats that were hired, a small group of rogue, ownerless goats drew the attention of passersby for weeks last September before they were captured.
RELATED | End of an era: Mystery goats finally captured
The goats out there now are supposed to be there, so Hoenes said there's no need to call animal control.
"They just become part of the environment, the neighborhood, the park, and people absolutely love them," she said.
They'll be out working for the next few weeks, chomping their way through grass and shrubs.
You shouldn't bother them or feed them; they're there to eat the greenery. However, Alvis encourages people to stop and appreciate their hard work.
“If you see them out, take five minutes and enjoy them," he said. "Just enjoy the quietness of them and watch them do what they do."
