Fainting Goats

A friend at work asked me if I had ever heard of a fainting goat. Not until now. According to Wikipedia, a fainting goat is a domestic breed that will freeze when scared/startled. This is brought on by a genetic disorder, which is also said to be painless. But it didn’t say that these goats could talk, so I say how do they know that it is painless.


(No it is not dead)

Anyway back to the goat. Now younger fainting goats will usually stiffen and fall over when scared. Old versions have learned to spread there legs or lean against something when this starts and even continue to run around awkward, stiff-legged shuffle.

This whole discussion was brought about since this previously mentioned co-worker was thinking about purchasing one of these animals to keep his children entrained next summer. First he is joking around, at least that is how the discussion went. But I could see this a possibility after answering my next question. What are the usues of a fainting goat? According to the web they are around for two reasons:

First, to be raised as a pet. They can be friendly, intelligent, easy to keep, and amusing.

Second is awful in my opinion, but I also think it is awful to own one just for the amusement of scaring it to watch it freeze up and fall over. Not to say the entire idea is not funny, but if this is the sole reason it is awful. Again I digress. Second, they are also used for protecting livestock such as sheep by involuntarily "sacrificing themselves" to predators. Allowing the sheep to escape.