My goat is smarter than your honor student

First scientists said that only humans could use tools—that only humans were smart enough—and perhaps that was why some of you thought it would be ok to vivisect animals and destroy our habitats.

Then scientists said that chimpanzees could use tools, too.

Oh, but then some birds started using tools. And dolphins, and then even naked mole rats.

Maybe we all use tools, and your human scientists just aren't paying attention!

Anyway, my goat Missy tends to get itchy. She can't turn around and scratch her butt very well, being of poor coordination since her strokish-thingy last summer, so she gets FarmWife to do it or she rubs herself against the fence. Yesterday, she saw an opportunity! She seized little human's mini-rake in her mouth during stall-cleaning time, and she hoisted it up over her shoulder, and she scratched back and forth, back and forth, back and forth across her itchy hip. It was sudden, intentional, and premeditated.

I use tools, too. I just try not to let FarmWife know—if she ever catches me using the MacBook or making myself a smoothie in her Vita-Mix then I'll be locked out for sure!

Ears,
Fen