The 80-year-old owner of a pet goat slaughtered while tied to a fence outside his home says the people responsible have no idea of the heartbreak they have caused.

Reg “Pop” Light was devastated when his Hacche Road neighbours showed him the remains of his pet goat last Thursday.

The goat was skinned up to its neck and its four legs were sliced off, while the heart and liver were cut out.

Mr Light had looked after the goat for eight years.

While talking with The Gisborne Herald, he pointed to his chest.

“It hurts right in here.”

Mr Light says he loves animals and has had goats since he was 10 years old.

He also has horses, chickens, birds and dogs, and had “never known a more loving little animal”.

“She was a beautiful little thing, really lovely. Everybody loved her.”

The goat was tethered to a fence at the side of the small Hacche Road cul-de-sac, metres from Mr Light’s home.

The culprits did not attempt to hide — slicing her throat at the cul-de-sac’s green verge, Mr Light said.

“It’s just shocking,” he said.

“I want to bloody shoot them.”

The goat was killed a few metres away from its six-month-old kid.

“Lucky for us the baby goat was left behind. It will help to heal the sorrow.”

The kid had just been weaned.

Its mother was well known to Hacche Road residents and children regularly played with her.

She was affectionately named “Nana” by the children but Mr Light called her “Cilla”.

“She wore black, like Cilla Black,” he said.

Police and the SPCA are investigating the incident.

Mr Light doubts the goat was killed for dog food as there was a considerable amount of meat left behind.

“It’s just awful if she’s going to be eaten by someone.”

“I hope they get a gut ache.”

Neighbour Jason Story said the people responsible knew what they were doing.

“It’s just disgusting — just the cheek of it,” Mr Story said.