They may be only as high as your knees, but Ronnie and Robbie the pygmy goats have bags of character to delight residents in a Tavistock home.

The pair brought joy to Tavistock’s Abbeyfield residential home with their antics as a special festive treat.

The pair arrived at mid-morning coffee time with their owner Tim Sheppard who runs Tavistock Therapy Goats. They immediately tried to make a beeline for the kitchen, as food is a great driving force. When this food hunt was foiled, the pair lunged for the coffee and biscuits and when this failed, one tried nibbling the indigestible plastic table covering.

Resident Jenny Eglington instantly took to the goats: “This is one of our more interesting animal visits. We’ve had therapy dogs before and even ponies, but pygmy goats are unusual and very welcome. They have characters and that helps. They’re cheeky and really nice to see.”

Friend Sheila Wallace said: “They’re very calm animals and soothing and relaxing to stroke. I like them and it makes a difference to our days to have them as visitors. We tend to chat together more with animals here and it’s worked with Ronnie and Robbie.”

Salema Dennis, Drake Lodge manager, said: “The goats seem to be a hit. We try and add to our residents’ activities with things that make their time here more interesting and stimulating. It’s good for their mental health, giving them something to do as a group. It means they can meet in the lounge together, if they wish. Animals are especially popular because residents are not allowed to have their own pets here.”

Tim said: “The goats are good for the wellbeing of older people and can sometimes bring back happy memories of when they visited the countryside for holidays with their families. This can also be of when they were evacuees during the war.”