Anybody here familiar with goats?

[procon]

11. Raised dairy goats for almost 30 years, and like any other domestic animal

they require human attention to provide them a basic level of care. Hay, water, salt and dry shelter to protect them from inclement weather would be the very minimum. Tethering any animal is cruel and a inhumane practice and it leaves them vulnerable to dog attacks or getting ensnared and strangling to death or breaking a leg. It also prevents them from finding a comfortable place to rest away from their own waste and find shelter from the sun or rain. I would never put a goat on a tether.

If they are uncastrated males, the strong musk and their natural, frenetic mating drive would make them unapproachable at this time of year as they would be in full rut and will mount anything. Since you were able to pet them, I suspect they are neutered which stops most, but not all of their rut.

Goats are great for clearing weeds and brush, but this is the fall and the plants are mostly fibrous with little nutritional value this time of year. Goats, as thrifty as they are, simply cannot eat enough to sustain themselves on woody plants alone and need regular feed as well. If the goat's owners care so little for them, you might see if the SPCA will rescue them.

My husband 'rescued' a starving little pony that someone had tethered beside a road and left it to forage for weeds with no water. The poor little thing was tangled up and couldn't move so he cut her ropes off, boosted her into the back of his car and drove her to the SPCA two towns away so her terrible owner would be less likely to find her. He said he found her walking on the road and they took her in. We called occasionally to ask how she was doing, and when she was back in good health we saw her pictured on their webpage and ready for adoption. Just an idea...