Metro

Mulling goats to scratch itch

SEASIDE PARK, NJ — Officials in a New Jersey shore town might use goats from Maryland to rid an environmentally sensitive area of poison ivy.

Seaside Park can’t burn the toxic plant or use chemicals because the patch overlooks Barnegat Bay.

Officials believe it would cost between $15,000 and $20,000 to use the natural weed eaters.

Dawn Yurkiewicz of Stratford Farm in Whiteford, Md., reports that it might take the entire herd up to three weeks to eat all the poison ivy.

Meanwhile, New Jersey environmental officials are worried the goats might also eat rare plants along the bay.