Goat-a-palooza now underway | Urban Wildlife

For a group of four-legged visitors, the accommodations underneath the Alaskan Way viaduct could not be more perfect.

Never mind the noise and the steep terrain, on Monday the 60 goats had their heads buried in the thick brush -- a delicious feast for the animals.

The goats that will eat and eat, munching away nearly 12 hours a day on prickly blackberry bushes and most anything else growing alongside the Pine Street Hill Climb.

"It's just the way they're designed, and they're designed to eat that kind of stuff," said goat wrangler Tammy Dunakin. "And I've never had a goat with a bloody mouth."

Area residents say the area had become so overgrown with blackberries and had evolved into a hidden haven for illegal activity. They wanted something had to be done. So they turned to the goats.

"It's always been a problem, because there's been a lot of drug deals that happen up here," said resident Tamera Myhus. "So clearing this will give everyone a better view, and they won't be able to hide as well.")

By the end of the week, the goats will have the area cleared down to the roots. They're seemingly glad to take on the tedious work that normally would fall to the crews with the city's Department of Transportation.

"It's a big help for the goats to come here and eat away and cut it back with their mouths than us climbing this steep hillside," said SDOT worker Patrick Carter.

"It'd be really dangerous for people to be up there with machines trying to take it down," said Dunakin."So you're talking L&I (Department of Labor and Industries workers compensation) injuries. I don't have to pay L&I for goats."

Dunakin says each member of her goat crew was rescued, and has a name. The big, happy family from Vashon Island will be living the city life this week.

SDOT says it is conducting a test run with the goats, and if the method proves successful, they could become regulars  in the city.