About — Goats in the City

In memory of my dad — with Lucky, one of our family's goats.

Our Story

Meet Ian Matthews, Founder of Goats in the City

I grew up with goats in Jamaica, long before I came to Canada. They were part of my childhood and helped shape the patience, care, and respect for animals that have stayed with me throughout my life.

Years later, goats returned to my everyday life through my dad and our family’s goats. Caring for them reawakened that connection and became an important part of the journey that eventually led me to create Goats in the City.

The photograph beside this story shows my dad with Lucky, one of our family’s goats. My dad has since passed, but his influence, his love of animals, and the values he gave me remain part of everything we do.

What began as a lifelong relationship with goats grew into Ontario’s first commercial prescribed grazing service. Today, I lead a growing Eco-Herd that helps municipalities, conservation organizations, businesses, and landowners manage invasive vegetation, restore challenging landscapes, and bring communities closer to nature.

Read My Toronto Life Feature

Mission

Restore Land. Care for Goats. Reconnect Communities with Nature.

Our mission is to use carefully managed prescribed grazing to restore landscapes, support healthier ecosystems, provide exceptional care for our goats, and create meaningful connections between people, animals, and the land.

Values

Animal welfare comes first
Responsible, site-specific grazing
Respect for wildlife and sensitive habitats
Honest and measurable project outcomes
Strong local partnerships
Education and community connection

Ian Matthews with a member of the Eco-Herd. Trust begins with patient handling, daily care, and time spent together.

The Herd & Their Caretakers

The Bond Between Goats and Their Caretakers

"Almost every goat in our herd has a name, a temperament, a favourite browse, and a person they trust. Once they're part of the family, they're part of it for life."

The relationship between our caretakers and the goats is central to everything we do. From birth, we take great care to handle and socialize the kids so they grow up comfortable with people, secure within the herd, and ready to interact calmly with the public.

Familiar voices, patient handling, daily care, and trust help the goats feel safe both at home and while working on project sites. We name almost every goat because each one has a personality and a place within the herd. As the herd continues to grow, we also plan to invite the community to help name some of its newest members.

That bond is what makes responsible prescribed grazing possible and helps create the positive public experience people have when they meet the Eco-Herd.

Community Connection

Where the Herd Meets the Neighbourhood

From City of Toronto staff visiting a working site to families making the trip out to New Lowell in 2023, the goats have a way of turning a project into a gathering. These moments are why we do it.

The trust developed through daily care also allows the goats to interact calmly with project staff and members of the public. These photographs show City of Toronto staff spending time with the Eco-Herd during a 2023 project visit in New Lowell.

City of Toronto staff spending time with the Eco-Herd in New Lowell, 2023 — City of Toronto staff spending time with the Eco-Herd during a 2023 project visit in New Lowell.

A goat approaching an outstretched hand — Careful handling and regular human interaction help the goats build trust with people.

City staff interacting with a horned goat

City of Toronto staff greeting a goat at New Lowell

Meet the Eco-Herd

Meet Our Enchanting Herd

We've compiled a stunning collection of pictures and videos that bring you up close and personal with our extraordinary goats. Each one is a character — a contributor — and a reason we love what we do.