Ray the goat needs a wheelchair. The Philly Goat Project hopes its fundraiser will get him one.

Ray the Nubian goat has come a long way since a parasite threatened to take his life, leaving him with three legs but not dampening his spirit. Now he’s in need of a wheelchair.

As a jolly middle-aged goat, 7-year-old Ray loved taking long strolls around Awbury Arboretum, supporting people in bereavement with hoofshakes and kisses, and taking children with cerebral palsy on rides.

The wagon was his biggest job, and he took it seriously, said Karen Krivit, the director of Philly Goat Project, an East Germantown nonprofit that provides community wellness through nature connection. So much so that he hid his pain.

“Goats tend to hide their injuries,” Krivit said. “Ray was determined to keep from showing any pain and just trying to pull his head high and be with everybody else.”

Ray had been battling a parasite infection common among outdoor animals, Krivit said. But as often happens for his breed, he was resistant to the medication. As his veterinarian team continued trying for a cure, a slight limp alerted the Philly Goat Project staff that his condition had worsened.

The parasite affected his bone density, causing one of his femurs to break in three places. A big problem for any goat due to their rough-and-tumble nature.

The place Ray had called home since he was 3 months old rallied around him, raising money for a titanium plate to secure the bones in place. But his anatomy once again worked against him.

Standing at a little over 3 feet tall, Ray’s natural lanky composition would have made it hard for the plate and the screws to hold onto the bone. The titanium plate could have collapsed his bone in another area, causing additional damage, Krivit said.

“We were able to eliminate the parasite, but not in time enough to save his leg,” she added. “The safest long-term plan was amputation.”

For tall animals in particular, it’s hard to thrive on three legs, Krivit explained. The biggest challenges since the amputation in May have been teaching him how to move around by himself and reintegrating him into his herd of 13 goats.

“Humans tend to be mean to each other if you look different or act differently; it’s the same with goats,” Krivit said. “But humans can use their voices and talk about it; goats can only be mean and exclude another goat. Not being rejected is vital to his survival.”

Ray was placed in a nearby separate stall. His brother Teddy never stopped looking out for him.

Ten thousand dollars and months of rehabilitation later, Ray has a severe limp, but can now stand up and lie down by himself. The herd has accepted him back, but he seems to feel left behind when they go on long walks, often bellowing as the herd heads out without him.

“Because he is moving his body in three legs instead of four, he is at risk for hurting himself further if he goes on a long walk, making it harder for him to stay connected to the herd,” Krivit said.

So Ray needs a wheelchair.

For goats, that involves a metal harness with a wheel on each side of the goat, mimicking a leg. But they are expensive.

The Goat Project needs $2,000 for a custom-made wheelchair for Ray, physical therapy, and proper fitting.

For Krivit, leaving her beloved otherwise-healthy goat without a wheelchair is not an option. She is hoping to raise enough money at their upcoming annual GOAToberFest to get him a chair.

The Oct. 18 event will take place at the Conservatory at Laurel Hill West Cemetery, and tickets run for $75, with free snacks, drinks, and goodie bags.

Until then, she hopes folks can see in Ray a symbol of resilience.

“A wheelchair is the missing link for him to safely go on walks that will support his body and his spirit to not be left behind,” Krivit said. “If Ray can be resilient and he can survive this, I hope that gives people hope in their times of adversity.”