Wyoming woman’s fight to keep pet goat sparks constitutional lawsuit

Venus Bontadelli claimed that the city’s decision violated her constitutional rights. Image Credit: Courtesy Venus Bontadelli/Cowboy State Daily A Wyoming woman’s attempt to keep her miniature goat at home became a legal dispute over local animal regulations, the fairness of government decisions and constitutional rights. Venus Bontadelli, a resident of Powell, challenged the city’s permit process after officials refused to let her keep the animal as a pet. The disagreement raised questions about how local authorities classify companion animals and whether residents receive a fair opportunity to seek exceptions to restrictions. In January 2026, a settlement allowed the goat to return home, ending the immediate dispute without a court ruling on the constitutional claims.How did a Wyoming woman’s pet goat lead to a constitutional lawsuitThe case centred on Porsche Lane, a pygmy goat weighing about 20 pounds that had become part of the Bontadelli family. According to Wyoming Public Media, the goat was given to the family as a graduation present for their teenage daughter. She had been bottle-fed and raised as a companion animal.Bontadelli wanted to keep Porsche Lane at her home in Pow...