BOISE BENCH, Idaho — While most people prefer dogs and cats for pets, the Ching family decided to adopt goats for practical purposes. This decision turned into something much more meaningful.
"We could use goats to help eat the weeds, clear the area, and be something kind of fun and different to have in the neighborhood and also for ourselves," Kerry Ching said.
WATCH | How Boise Bench goats bring neighbors together
Turns out, they weren't the only ones who fell in love with these four-legged farm animals.
"People come by to the goat area just to enjoy watching the goats. So we thought about making this as a [form of] community engagement," Tony Ching said.
That's how Chingóat was born, a free neighborhood activity where anyone can walk, feed and hang out with these neighborhood celebrities.
"So many people will just drive by, they'll roll down the window and be like ‘bahh’," Kerry Ching said.
The Ching’s said it's become a popular activity, especially among Boise State students in the neighborhood looking for a mental health break.
"You can just forget everything and just really be present in that moment and just look at these cute little goats and relax," Kerry Ching said.
"I do even have coworkers who are in other states, even other countries, and they log on as a mental health break," Kerry Ching said.
When they're not on a stroll, you can actually watch them from home on a 24/7 live stream.
"Oftentimes they'll be out sunning themselves or just chilling, and it's just lovely to see them enjoy life," said Brianne Bryant, the Ching's neighbor.
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And these aren't just mental health breaks for humans.
"Just like people, they don't want to be alone. If we take two out, the other two feel like they're left behind and will start crying," Kerry Ching said.
Neighbors said the goats are putting this corner of the Boise Bench on the map.
"When we meet new people and try to tell them where we live, oftentimes we'll say 'we're right by the people with the goats', and if they know what that means, you know they're great people," Bryant said.
The family is also selling merchandise to help feed the goats. If you want to join in on the fun and walk the goats yourself, you can find more information on the Chingoat website.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
