Goats crossed fence

My neighbour’s goats keep sneaking into my garden and munching on my vegetables. The other day, they devoured all my cabbages. I asked the owner to compensate me for the damages, but he claimed my fence was so weak that even a toddler could knock it over.  How can he not see that the goats eating my vegetables is his fault? I do not get it. Who is responsible for this? I feel like munching his goats. Please enlighten me.
SK, Kilimanjaro

We cannot guide you on whether or not to munch your neighbour’s goats!

Livestock owners are usually liable for damages caused by their animal’s trespassing on other people’s properties. From what you said, your neighbour is clearly at fault for failing to control his goats. However, your weak fence could be considered contributory negligence. Courts will often balance the blame in such cases, especially if the damaged party could have reasonably prevented the incident. We advise you to also consider strengthening that fence to prevent the goats from crossing over. In the meantime, if your neighbour continues to refuse compensation, you can report the matter to your local government officials. They can help mediate disputes between neighbours without dragging the issue into a full-blown court case. If this fails, consult your lawyer on the necessary steps to institute a suit. Good luck.