A man who arrived in Arlington with three goats remains in the county despite having lost his livestock.
The traveler known as Jacob Holiday has encamped in a median on the western side of Theodore Roosevelt Bridge for the past several days, placing himself closer than ever to his final destination in D.C. A tipster and ARLnow staff have been unable to observe any goats with him since they were seized by animal control.
ARLnow has also been unable to reach Holiday for comment, since several lanes of highway separated him from anywhere easily accessible by foot as of today (Tuesday). He has been located in the area where eastbound Arlington Blvd merges with Theodore Roosevelt Bridge since at least last Thursday.
“Arlington County’s Human Services outreach team continues to have contact with the individual,” county spokesperson Ryan Hudson said. “There’s no additional action planned at this time.”
Holiday arrived in Arlington at the end of July, having spent months or perhaps years walking across much of this country with his goats. Spreading a message of peace and love, he has said he wants to sing the John Lennon song “Imagine” on the steps of the Capitol building.
Holiday ran into trouble last week, however, when animal control took his goats into custody over a “legal matter.”
Animal control declined to share more information on the legal issue, and did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
“We appreciate the community’s concern for these animals and ask for patience as the legal process moves forward,” Jennifer Toussaint, chief of animal control in Arlington County, said last week.
Holiday told other outlets that he began his journey in Minnesota, although a Nebraska news site reported that he had walked all the way from California. He was spotted walking through the City of Fairfax with his heavily loaded wagon last month, according to Annandale Today.
