Looking for something new to try? This might “goat” your boat. Goat bingo is alive and well in Arlington.
Goat Therapy
“It’s just a really fun, joyful experience,” says yoga teacher Beth Wolfe, co-inventor of goat bingo. “It’s silly and people love it.”
Wolfe teaches trauma-informed yoga and incorporates animals in her practice. Extending the use of goats in recreational settings seemed like a great idea. So, she teamed up with her high school friend — goat owner and veterinarian Dr. Maureen Noftsinger — to expose folks to the positive effects from exposure to goats.
“Goat therapy is what we call it,” she says. “The bingo is really secondary to the time people spend with those sweet little animals.”
‘People Need It’
“BINGOAT” is held one weekend a month at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington. It typically draws around 60 curious guests eager to play the classic bingo game. Add to that 20 Nigerian dwarf goats from Walnut Creek Farm in Salem, Virginia, ambling around the room, ready for some snuggles or even a hug. Gregarious goats with names like Daisy, Dandy, and Kazoo bleat their way into visitors’ hearts.
“It’s hard to explain how happy people are,” Wolfe says. “People need it; it’s been really popular since the beginning of the year.”
The one-hour events cost $40 per person and includes prizes and snacks (for the goats). (Human) kids must be at least 10 years old and accompanied by an adult to participate. And no, the goats don’t play bingo — that would be un-herd of. They just entertain their goat-loving, bingo-playing audience and are treated like VIPs.
“They travel in a temperature-controlled custom goat mobile (naturally) with their veterinarian owner,” says Wolfe. “We have permission from Animal Control to bring them into the county. They have all their vaccines and health certificates. I tell people, if you get reincarnated, you want to come back as one of these goats.”
Stars of the Show
The mellow mammals are the stars of the show at BINGOAT. They triumphantly parade in the bingo room accompanied by, appropriately, “The Lonely Goatherd” from The Sound of Music.
“We kinda think they might know the song now. They get excited when they’re coming in because they know they’re going to get a lot of special treats,” Wolfe says. She notes that guests are only allowed to feed their new hoofed friends the provided animal crackers and goat chow.
The four-legged rock stars also participate in goat yoga on their monthly visits to Arlington. Two legged guests can’t seem to get enough, whether playing bingo or partaking in yoga with their cheerful companions.
“This is a way for people to lighten their load,” says Wolfe, “and leave smiling.”
Feature image courtesy Beth Wolfe
