We, at Odds & Ends Professional Pet Care have the awesome job of taking care of our clients pets and home while they are away, whether for just a few hours, a few days, or longer. While our awesome team of Pet Care Professionals take care of mostly dogs and cats, we do also take care of horses, chickens, birds, turtles, and donkeys, to name just a few.
Recently we had the privilege of caring for a client that has several pets, including dogs, cats, and a set of four goats (also called a ‘trip’) These goats have a ton of personality and are so much fun to interact with! It’s a good feeling to drive up to this client’s house and see the goats either coming in from the pasture (when it’s not too hot outside) or from their little barn (when it is too hot), just to say ‘hello’ and get their neck and head scratches (and, of course, something to eat!)! These four goats (named Waffles, Myrtle, Chicken, and Big Mama) all get very excited when it’s time to eat, although they prefer mostly grass in the summer months. By the way, goats will put just about anything in their mouths and it may look like they are eating it, but they are really just being curious and tasting/smelling/checking out the objects they are unsure of.
Did you know that there are over 200 species of goats in existence and that they can vary in size from between 75 lbs. up to 250 lbs., depending upon their breed?
Some other fun facts about goats: 
- The ‘fainting goat’ which is known as the Myotonic breed of goat, doesn’t actually faint, as the nickname implies. When this breed of goat is frightened, it’s muscles freeze (because of their genetics) and they fall over. They are fully conscious while in this state and are not in any pain. Their muscles recover quickly and they are back on their feet once more. As a general rule of thumb, however, it is not a good idea to purposely scare a goat.
- Goats have rectangular pupils instead of circular ones, such as humans have. This allows them to see between 320 and 340 degrees around them (nearly all the way!) and also to see quite well in the dark. But, because their pupils are not round, goats have to shift their head position to be able to see things that are upward or downward.
- Goats love grass and other vegetation (no meat) and are known as herbivores.
- Most goats have horns and many goats have beards, whether male or female! All four of the goats we recently cared for have both horns and beards, even though they are all female.
Goats, with their quirky and silly personalities, along with their interesting background and traits, make them a true joy to care for during every opportunity we have to do so!
We love caring for the pets we are entrusted with and take our jobs very seriously! At Odds & Ends, LLC, our wonderful clients and their furry, finned, scaled, and hooved babies are always provided with exceptional service by compassionate and professional pet sitters.
If you are interested in learning more about our services, our pet sitters, or job opportunities, please visit our website for more information and schedule your next pet care visit!
Many thanks to our wonderful client, Julie, for making this article possible! Julie has her own business, making wooden door hangers, custom name signs, and craft shapes, among other beautiful items. You can find out more about Julie and her business at https://www.julieswoodcrafts.com/