Men jailed for killing goat at petting zoo 'because they were hungry'

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Two men have been jailed after slaughtering a goat at a German petting zoo because they were hungry.

The men, both 29-year-old Romanians, were convicted at a Berlin court of theft and killing an animal without good reason.

The pair broke into the petting zoo in the German capital's Hasenheide park on 18 February and killed an Angora goat called Lilly. The zoo is a popular attraction for families with children.

The men were arrested after locals heard the animal's cries and alerted the police, reported Deutsche Welle. One of the men was carrying a knife when arrested by officers, who also found a rucksack nearby containing a goat's leg and bloody gloves.

During a trial, the men said they slaughtered the goat because they had not eaten for days.

They had arrived in Berlin in January and found jobs as construction workers but had not been paid, the court heard.

The men, who have not been named, told the court they believed the petting zoo was a farm.

They said they had grown up on Romanian farms and knew how to slaughter animals without causing them pain.

One of the men, who had a previous conviction for theft, was sentenced to 10 months in prison. His accomplice was jailed for nine months.