MONROE, N.C. — A baby goat born through a distressed labor and without eyes almost didn’t make it. The goat, Bernadette, is now living a new life with a loving family.

Her new mom, Kayla Ball, says she was the first animal born on their farm in Monroe, North Carolina.

The Ball family moved to Monroe from Virginia, where they also owned a farm.

Ball says Bernadette’s mother rejected her and they weren’t sure what was going to happen.

"Mom won’t allow the baby to nurse or it won’t let it nurse enough, so it will start stomping its foot to get it off or not even go around it and it was very obvious that was going to be the case,” said Ball.

So, she says her family took Bernadette into their home instead.

"We took her to the vet, finally got her in, and when we got the news that everything else was great, it was just tears of joy,” she said. "He just said continue the great nursing care and she’s fine, she’s fine, she’ll adapt.”

You can follow updates on Bernadette through her Instagram handle at Bernadette the Goat.