Don't worry about calling the nearest farmer if you see billy goats grazing under the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge this week. Those animals are actually hard at work. 🦺

In what seems straight out of a Norwegian bedtime tale, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has commissioned goats to clear the area of pesky weeds — something that cities have done often for similar road work.

Goats are very efficient at removing overgrown brush near bridges + major roads, allowing Seattle's department to tidy up such areas without resorting to harmful pesticides. And the labor comes relatively cheap — meals provided.

More facts to graze on:

The goats come from Vashon Island through the service Rent-A-Ruminant.
There are 115 of them onsite with their herder — and they'll be around through Mon., Sept. 26.
SDOT uses the animals because they can navigate steep slopes that human employees can't.

For those curious on how to get in on the action, the Vashon rental service is available to private citizens, too.

Goat on + check it out for yourself. 🐐