Tributes as much-loved goat famed for trips to local pub dies

A well-known pet goat - loved for his walks and trips to the pub - has died after a short illness.

Actin was the loyal right-hand compadre to owner Damian Stanley, a pet-lover who made headlines for taking Actin on a trip to the Black Horse pub on Pall Mall in Chorley. LancsLive first reported on Actin in 2022 and spoke to Damian who praised the goat's "fantastic personality".

At the time, Actin was one of 15 pets Damian had been keeping to help with his mental health, purchasing Actin in 2021 and naming him from the popular phrase 'acting the goat'. Then, last year we met up with Damian and his beloved animal at My Life Legacy, a charity in Standish which supports people with disabilities and where Actin had been rehomed to.

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Damian made the heartbreaking decision to let go of Actin after realising he no longer had to the room at his home to support and look after the goat. But, in even more heartbreaking news, the beloved animal has sadly passed away a couple of months ago.

Talking to LancsLive, Damian said: "It was a liver problem apparently. They rang me on a Friday and said he's not well, so the vet's been in and is keeping him alive. They injected some stuff and I got there on the Saturday and he died on the Sunday."

Reflecting on his pet, Damian says Actin was only two-and-a-half, but goats usually live for well over 10 years. "I was absolutely gutted," Damian added.

Keeping animals for his mental health, the Chorley-resident isn't short of other pets to keep him company. In total, he has around 12 ferrets, two turkeys, two chickens as well as a host of other animals.