If there was an animal that I would consider as a pet, it wouldn’t be a dog or a cat. It would be a goat.

Why a goat? It’s not like you can bring a goat inside your house and sit it down by the woodstove and not expect to be shoveling manure, as like many farm animals they have no control over their rectumns. They manure everywhere, the pasture, the barnyard or your living room floor.

But goats are fantastic animals. For one, they produce milk and meat. But they’re also excellent pack animals for carrying gear while hiking, and are quite loyal but with an independent streak. They can go for miles without drinking, their forage consumption is moderate and less expensive then most other pets.

And best of all unlike dogs and cats that are carnivorous, goats are good eating when the time comes. No expensive burial or waste of a goat.