Waffles and Hemingway, inseparable miniature horse and goose, get adopted together

A miniature horse and goose — an unusual pair of best friends — have found a forever home together.

After the horse, Waffles, and the goose, Hemingway, were rescued from a local farm, the Bucks County animal shelter housing them had one condition for a future owner: The two had to be adopted together. The pair grew close while they shared a barn stall and had become inseparable.

The animals were adopted by a Philadelphia-area woman who works at a veterinary office and has experience working with large animals, Bucks County SPCA spokesperson Cindy Kelly said. She said the woman, who picked up the animals Wednesday evening and did not want to be identified further, was selected because of her proximity to the shelter and resources for caring for large creatures.

The pair’s story went viral after their rescue, and they were featured on Good Morning America, NPR, and CNN. The shelter received more than 150 adoption applications, Kelly said.

“We just had Waffles out for a walk, and Hemingway gets a little bit worked up," Kelly said. “When Waffles is brought back into the barn, the first thing he does is drop in the hay and roll around, and they just seem more relaxed and happy.”

Waffles and Hemingway were rescued in July from a rental property on Route 152 in Hilltown Township, where they were being kept in what Kelly called filthy and unsanitary conditions. She said the miniature horse did not have an adequate shelter for the winter, and there was limited clean water.

The original owners, John and Jennifer Achenbach, originally of Pike County, were charged with animal neglect. The case is pending.

Waffles is around 6½ years old, and Hemingway could be anywhere between 1 and 6 years old.

The adoption fee for the two animals was $300.