Photo: WideOpenPets.com
The University of Maine used baby goats to calm student stress during finals. Valley Edge Farm, which specializes in Nigerian Dairy Goats, provided the rambunctious kids.
This is exactly the sort of offbeat story I love. (Feel free to send me other kooky stories.)
Emily Burnham writes at Bangor Daily News, “For the past few years, the University of Maine has brought in therapy dogs — mostly cuddly golden retrievers and adorable Pomeranians — to soothe the frazzled nerves of students during finals week.
“This spring, however, it decided to try something a little different: baby goats.
“Brittany Smith, a staffer with UMaine’s campus activities board, got the idea when a co-worker mentioned that her sister, Abby Skolfield, owned and operated a goat farm, Valley’s Edge Farm, in the western Maine town of Strong. …
“A few quick phone calls later, a truckload of baby goats was on its way to UMaine, bound for an afternoon visit with students — most of whom had no idea they were going to hang out with month-old Nigerian Dwarf goats. Once word got out, a line stretched all across the mall, full of students waiting for their chance to pet a goat.
“ ‘I thought maybe 30, 40 people would show up, but this is ridiculous,’ said Smith. …
“Skolfield’s goats are old hands at dealing with crowds. Her goats are mostly for show, and they visit daycares and walk in parades regularly.
“ ‘I get hit up for goat yoga more times than I can count,’ said Skolfield. ‘I don’t see how that’s relaxing, but hey, whatever works.’ …
” ‘They come when called. Their little tails wag,’ she said. ‘They are the most dog-like of all livestock.’ ” More here.
I had actually heard of goat yoga! The goats stand on yoga students’ backs.
Video: CBS News
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
Kookiness becomes Maine.
You must love spending time up there. Do let me know if you hear other good stories. As odd as this one was, it strikes me as sensible in a counterintuitive way.
Lol! What people don’t think of? Cute little critters though.
I loved the idea that goats are the most doglike of farm animals. All I knew about goats was that one ate my brother’s mitten as a response to the 3-year-old trying to pet her. That was a long time ago.
We were tending a goat for a bit when I was young… the silly thing loved the wash line… maybe it would be better to say the clothes on the line…my Mom was definitely delighted to see that goat gone!
LOL!
I don’t know if they relieve my stress but there’s just about nothing cuter to me than a goat!
I’m loving readers’ memories of goats. They sure are entertaining — unless they’re eating your laundry, of course.
Wow. Your comments confirm that goats will eat all sorts of things (gloves…clothing from the line…) that might not seem to be edible. I love this story — especially the image of “a truckload of baby goats.” One of my favorite childhood memories is watching two baby goats in the Central Park Zoo kick up their heels together. Amazing! I also remember hearing a story about how a non-profit organization brought goats to villages (I think in Central America?) where very few human babies had been born in recent years due to a majority of the male villagers having being killed (or having gone into hiding) due to an ongoing civil war. The baby goats helped bring a sense of hope and play and joy back to the survivors who remained in these villages…
Many thanks for these baby goat memories. I’ll try to find the story about the goats in the war-torn village and link to it.
I feel like I could use a baby goat or two right about now! They are so adorable and funny.
I need to be cheered up, too, but even baby goats can’t fix what we’re seeing in the headlines.
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