Nappy-wearing Wellingborough goat 'acts like dog' Published duration 19 February 2015

media caption Lily the kid was moved indoors after becoming sick

A sickly baby goat being nursed back to health has started behaving like the dogs she shares a home with, her Northamptonshire owner says.

Lily the kid collapsed near her mother three weeks after birth and was taken to a vet in a critical condition.

Owner Rebecca Mineards hopes Lily, who has to wear nappies in the house, will soon be able to return to her mother.

Meanwhile, she is learning to play "just like my dogs" and wrestling their toys away from them, Mrs Mineards said.

Lily collapsed on 22 January and a month later is still living in the Mineards' lounge, with her owner sleeping on the sofa.

"Initially I was told she was critical and not to get my hopes up, but after she was given steroids and I noticed some twitching of her nerves, I just thought, 'Come on, you can't go, you've got to stay'," said Mrs Mineards.

image caption Lily first became sick in January

image copyright Mineards family image caption Lily plays with the dogs' toys and "unfortunately" head-butts them occasionally, her owner said

image copyright Mineards family image caption Lily wears nappies "because you can't house-train a goat"

"My husband Sid won't allow her in the bed, which I can understand, and if you walk away from Lily she does cry an awful lot, to the point that she would wake up the whole house," Mrs Mineards added.

"Unfortunately she has to wear a nappy because unlike a dog you cannot train a goat.

"It's not ideal so I'm keen for her to get better and return to being with her mum and brother (Dexter) as soon as possible."

image copyright Mineards family image caption Lily (left) lived with her mother and twin brother Dexter before she became critically ill

image copyright Mineards family image caption When she is well enough Lily will be returned to live with her mother and brother

image caption Rebecca Mineards admits she has temporarily "become Lily's mum"

Mrs Mineards carries out light physiotherapy on Lily daily to improve her mobility.

"I've become her mum for now, but she's well cared for by the dogs as well.

"She really does think she's a dog. She plays with them and unfortunately head-butts them, but they don't mind at all," she said.

image copyright Mineards Family image caption The Mineards said their dogs find Lily's nappies "fascinating"

image copyright Mineards family image caption Lily gets on well with her owners' four dogs

Vets treating the pygmy goat are still not sure what caused Lily's illness but she has come on in leaps and bounds since moving in with the Mineards.

"Lily's doing miraculously considering she couldn't sit, stand or walk and now she's doing goat behaviour like jumping and leaping.

"I know some people will say she's just a goat but she's actually more than that, isn't she? She's special."