A Goat as Found Property

Question

A kid goat has been found without an owner; no owner of it can be found. What is the ruling on it now? Is it permissible to eat it or to give it to someone, or not? May someone who rears goats, or a religious scholar, take it from him by force? What is the full ruling on this matter?

Answer

That kid goat is luqata (found property). Its ruling will be that the owner is to be searched for; when, after a full search, the owner cannot be traced, it is to be given to some poor person as sadaqa. Then, whoever he gives it to — having slaughtered it, whole or in part, or even without slaughtering it — it is permissible for that person to accept it and eat it.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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