The abandoned goat that now lives in five-star island luxury

I hear Bonnie before I see her, with a clip-clop across the wooden floor of the open-air art-filled lobby towards the lounge I’m sitting on.

I look down to observe the real culprit: two pairs of tiny hooves attached to a robust patchwork tan and white figure. A curious horned face pokes its head around the sofa and raises a hoof like an eager dog would offer a “shake”.

Nihi Resort in Sumba, Indonesia.

Bonnie wears a patterned rouge bandana around her neck. She gently paws (hoofs?!) at my hand before her nose leads her to a distraction at the snack station: freshly baked banana bread. General manager of Indonesia’s Nihi resort, Madlen Ernest, whistles her down to the garden and she turns and speeds off in the direction of a more suitable meal.

Bonnie the Nihi Goat, as she’s known on Instagram, has become the accidental mascot of one of Indonesia’s most luxe resorts. On the wild west coast of the island of Sumba, which is reached by a 90-minute flight from Bali, the hotel is best known for its beach galloping horses, many of which are retired and rescued racehorses. One of the horses, Lucky, was rescued as she was being prepared for sacrifice, with guests returning from a tour with her in tow. But Nihi’s philanthropic work extends beyond the stables.

Living the dream: Bonnie the goat.

“If I could have a whole sanctuary, I would,” says Ernest. Bonnie, now two, was saved as a kid and fed formula from a bottle.

“We have a goat farm. Her mum had refused her and her brother,” says Ernest. “Bo didn’t make it – he only lasted a month, he was so small.” Bonnie, however, has thrived.

“She thinks she’s a dog,” says Ernest.

I watch as she plays rough with Bonnie in the garden below the lobby, and the goat responds by lowering her head and gently ramming her legs.

“Her favourite foods are hibiscus flowers, raisins and cashews,” says Ernest, as she plucks the enormous red flowers from the garden and hands me to feed Bonnie.

As a resident at one of the world’s most exclusive resorts, Bonnie is living the dream. Her days consist of “gardening” and eating, and at night, she sleeps in Ernest’s bed. “She is very quiet, she might move in the night, but she has never accidentally horned me,” says Ernest. “She is a very cheeky character.” One of the staff, Brandon, recalls when Bonnie was much younger and he woke from a nap to find she had chewed clumps of his hair.

Bonnie shares the resort with the stable of 23 horses, which are well cared for by a team, and island rescue dogs Nipi and Snowy. Nihi chief James McBride found Nipi on a hike during the first COVID lockdown, while free-spirit Snowy was gifted to the resort by the island’s head of military as a sign of respect.

“Dogs in Sumba are valued as livestock,” says Ernest. “It’s not something we can imagine in our culture. But they see it as a chicken, pig or a cow. Dogs are used as their pets and as security for their home, but when the day comes and they need money, they might sell the dog, who will then be eaten,” she says.

No chance of that happening at the resort. Instead, the animal rescues add to the guest experience, with many now requesting “dates” with Bonnie, and Snowy randomly joining people on hikes and beach walks. “It makes people feel good. Guests think about their own dog or animal at home and how wonderful that is,” says Ernest.

General manager Madlen Ernest with Bonnie.

Similar tales of salvation can be found in Fiji. During my stay at Likuliku Lagoon Resort on the island of Malolo a few years ago, the then-general manager recalled a three-legged stray dog that a guest adopted.

And at Turtle Island Fiji in the Yasawas, I met Rosie the stray, who kept making the swim from a village on another island and was eventually adopted by a staff member and taken back to Viti Levu.

“When you go on holiday, you become more aware of animal welfare,” says Ernest. “Not just the things you eat, but how animals are being kept as a pet, or for commercial use. Bonnie doesn’t generate revenue, but I think when people see how an animal is treated, it reflects an honest approach from the company.”

“Like the horses, we are very strict with certain things, especially body weight. Our horses have a great life,” she says.

THE DETAILS

FLY
Jetstar flies daily from Australia to Bali, jetstar.com. Citilink flies daily from Bali to Sumba’s Tambolaka Airport, citilink.co.id

The resort is a two-hour transfer from the airport in an open-air safari car.

STAY
Nihi is an all-inclusive beachfront surf resort on the remote island of Sumba, with villas starting from $US1075 ($1640) a night, nihi.com/sumba.

The writer travelled as a guest of Jetstar and Nihi.