The Latest Little Trend in Backyard Farm Animals

by Stephanie Feldstein · 2010-02-03 09:45:00 UTC
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Pygmy goats are the popular new addition to urban barnyards. People are charmed by their small size and locavores love going no further than the backyard for milk. But as with urban chickens, keeping pygmy goats can only be truly sustainable when the welfare of the animals is a priority. Small-scale animal cruelty is still animal cruelty. 

Backyard farms need to be scrutinized under humane laws, just like other companion animals, based on the needs of the species. A breeder in Indiana touting the appeal of pygmy goats said, "out in the yard, they easily pass as a dog."

But, as she knows, they aren't dogs. As herd animals, they are social, but their housing and dietary needs are different than a dog's. It can be hard to find a city vet that will treat a goat, not to mention that laws governing the little goats vary, ranging from a flat-out ban to rules on where your goat can graze and whether you're allowed to sell the milk and cheese.

However, pygmy goats do have a hoof up on chickens as pets. Most people get goats for their personality (and perhaps the lawn mowing benefits) more so than the milk, so they tend to bond more easily than they do to chickens. When an urban chicken's egg-laying days are over, she's often abandoned to sanctuaries or country roads. But the backyard farmer who ends up with the wrong gendered goat for food production may not be as quick to get rid of their sociable billy as they would be to ditch a crowing rooster.

Even though goats tend to come from smaller operations than the puppy-mill-like hatcheries that supply most urban chickens, you still need to watch out for bad breeders. The better option, as always, is to rescue a goat who needs a home. There are over a hundred goats around the country listed for adoption on Petfinder, and if you contact your local farm animal sanctuary, you'll probably find more.

The bottom line is that goats are more than just walking milk cartons. As with any animal, no one should get one because it's trendy.  

Photo credit: Benimoto

Stephanie Feldstein is a Change.org Editor who has been part of the animal welfare and rescue community for over a decade, and most recently worked for an environmental organization.
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