Where people can’t tread, send goats.

“You couldn’t pay to have somebody come in here in 24 hours and do what these guys just did,” said Shalene Camp. 

About 60 billies and nannies made short work of an overgrown, steep hillside at Meadow Ranch, a 55-plus community in Coeur d’Alene. The acre and a quarter were considered such treacherous terrain no landscape company would take it on. 

And without some kind of regular maintenance, brush, weeds and other vegetation thrived, creating a fire hazard that had to be cleaned up. 

Leshay Goat Ranch and Rentals to the rescue. 

Within a few days after starting Friday, they cleared the hillside enough so a human should be able to safely make their way around and remove troublesome trees. 

Residents of the Meadow Ranch Homeowners Association were impressed with the goats that seemed fat and happy Sunday afternoon. 

“It's just unbelievable,” said Geri Wile. “It was more than we expected and worth every penny.” 

They displayed a veracious appetite, eating until they were full, resting then returned to chow down more. They have a reputation for eating almost anything but are particularly good at munching on brush and weeds. 

“Right now, they’re taking a siesta because they have to chew cud to make room for more food,” Camp said. 

Leshay Goat Ranch and Rentals based in Cheney, Wash., has been in business about seven years and today has a few hundred goats for grazing. 

Their services are in demand. The Camps have turned goats loose on areas up to 20 acres throughout North Idaho and Eastern Washington. 

“I probably turned down 50 jobs this season,” said Camp. 

Goats with names like “Black Betty” are more than just friendly and cute, she said. 

The acid in their four stomach chambers sterilizes the weed seeds so they don’t just poop it all back into the ground. They chew cud as part of their digestive process as it helps them break down food. Next spring, they’ll return and eat the seeds off any plants that come up. 

“It’s not just a fun thing to do,” Camp said. “There’s actually a lot of science behind it. Their rumen kills the seeds so when they go to the bathroom they’re not reseeding.” 

Resident Lori Stubbs said the goats proved to be both an ecological and economical choice.

“They did a great job,” she said. 

    A goat finds comfort with owner Shalene Camp while on a Coeur d'Alene worksite on Sunday.