BERKS COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — The owner of the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s popular goat snuggling station is facing felony animal cruelty charges after he performed an at-home C-section on a goat who ultimately died. Investigators said the procedure was livestreamed to YouTube.
Justin Steinmetz, of Temple, Pennsylvania, is the owner of Steinmetz Family Farm Baby Goat Snuggling, according to charging documents filed Feb. 19 by the Berks County Rescue League.
On Oct. 27, 2025, the Department of Animal Protection received a report that Steinmetz performed an at-home C-section on one of his goats, named Brawny, without anesthesia, pain medicine or medical professionals present.
The report said he cut the goat open with scissors, removed the baby and took the mother goat to a Quakertown vet clinic to try and save the goat, who arrived with her intestines and organs hanging out. The mother goat died on the table.
The Department of Animal Protection received a similar report the following day that noted the entire operation was livestreamed on YouTube.
Investigators spoke with the vet who treated Brawny, who told police she believes the goat was “opened incorrectly causing acute blood loss resulting in death.”
The vet said Steinmetz told her that he made a “rash decision to prioritize the baby’s life over the moms,” and said he felt it was a life-or-death situation, according to charging documents. The vet added that Steinmetz declined to have the child examined.
Investigators found a YouTube video posted by Steinmetz on Oct. 25, 2025, titled, “I performed a C-Section on My Goat – Was it legal in Pennsylvania,” which showed Steinmetz discuss the choice he made to perform the C-section.
Investigators also received a screen recording of a video of the C-section, which was reportedly posted on a members-only YouTube account that only paying subscribers could see.
According to charging documents, the video showed two people holding down the goat while Steinmetz could be heard saying, “without anything, I get it, this sucks.” Fifteen seconds into the video, Steinmetz could reportedly be heard saying, “I don’t think these are sharp enough,” as he holds up a small silver object and the goat can be heard bleating in distress.
The video continued to show the C-section performed with scissors and a pocketknife, without anesthesia or numbing agents, according to charging documents.
Investigators said after Steinmetz removed the baby, it took him another five minutes before he started to wrap up the mother goat. Once the goat was wrapped, he spent another three and a half minute milking the mother goat for colostrum, investigators wrote.
In total, from the time she was cut into until she left for the vet, the mother goat was laying open on the barn floor for almost 18 minutes. It then took 54 minutes to drive the goat from Steinmetz Family Farm to the vet, the animal control officer said.
The investigator who filed the charges said she “truly believes” Steinmetz “intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly” inflicted “severe and prolonged pain” from wounding the goat. He is also accused of failing to provide vet care for the baby goat, named Brice.
“Steinmetz is not a veterinarian and does not have proper training to conduct this surgery,” investigators wrote in charging documents.
On March 3, Steinmetz addressed the case in a YouTube video, titled “A Personal Update About Our Farm.” Steinmetz can be seen holding the baby goat Brice, who he said is only here because he “chose to fight for life.”
“So recently there was an emergency situation involving one of our goats, and in that moment, I made a decision to attempt a life-saving procedure,” Steinmetz said. “And it wasn’t planned, it wasn’t scheduled, it wasn’t something that I ever wanted to face. It was a real-time decision that I believed was an emergency It didn’t end the way that I hoped. I did lose his mom, and that part matters, and that part hurts, and I don’t want to minimize it.”
He continued: “Farming is beautiful, but it’s messy, and sometimes it forces you into decision that you pray that you’ll never have to make. The legal process is now underway.”
Steinmetz said he respects the legal process and is cooperating fully but declined to discuss specific details of the case.
“I’m confident that when everything is examined in full context, not clipped into a headline, the truth will speak for itself,” he said.
Steinmetz also sent CBS 21 the following statement Monday:
Thank you for reaching out and for taking the time to hear our side.My wife Lauren and I have been operating Steinmetz Family Farms for several years, and we’ve been offering goat snuggling experiences as part of our mission to connect people with animals in a positive and educational way. Over that time, we’ve cared for and raised a large number of goats, many of which were bottle babies or needed extra support early in life.Regarding the charges, I want to be respectful of the legal process, so there are limits to what I can say. What I will say is that this situation stemmed from an emergency involving a goat in distress. Like many farmers, we are often faced with making immediate decisions to try to save an animal’s life when veterinary care is not immediately available. That was the mindset in this case—doing everything possible in the moment to help.This has had a significant impact on our farm, both emotionally and financially. We’ve built our livelihood around caring for these animals and sharing that experience with the public, so to have that called into question has been difficult.What’s getting us through this is our faith, our family, and the incredible support from our community—people who have seen firsthand how much care and dedication goes into what we do every single day.As far as the outcome, we’re hopeful for a fair and honest evaluation of the full context surrounding the situation. That’s all we’re asking for.Of course, there are always things you reflect on in hindsight, especially in high-pressure situations. But at the core, the intent was never anything but trying to help an animal in need.We removed the videos related to the situation out of respect for the process and to avoid having partial or out-of-context information circulating publicly while the matter is ongoing.
Steinmetz is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals – torture (F3), aggravated cruelty to animals – causing SBI or death (F3), cruelty to animals (M2), and neglect of animals – vet care (M3). He is due back in court May 11.