This goat is in the process of being starved to death. Really, even on that lush looking pasture. I found her on craigslist while idly shopping. She is obviously too skinny, but I went to look at her anyway because, I figured, it could have somehow been a bad picture or there was a good reason for her poor appearance. And she lives close by, so it was easy to go.

Here is an important life lesson. I encounter this frequently, so listen up. Results do not lie. If your body, or any body, is showing results, believe the results. It does not matter what you think you know. You think you drink enough water and eat enough vegetables? Not if you're constipated. You think you've provided enough calcium for your chickens? Not if they can't make shells. You think your baby is getting enough quiet down time? Not if they are obviously over stimulated. You think the goat has enough food because your eyes see what looks like food? Not if she is clearly starving.

Get it? Your judgment is subject to bias and therefore flawed. Pay attention to the obvious facts.

I told the owner, first thing, that her goat is way too skinny. She asked, "You don't think she looks okay?" (SERIOUSLY?!) I repeated myself and added "this is an emergency." The doe is in milk and has been left to free range with a buckling on her side. To be fair, the buckling looks healthy. To be more fair, the doe is about to die. She looks way worse than this picture, which was taken a month ago. She is being offered for sale for $300 as a milking doe. (Again, SERIOUSLY?!)

I don't think the owner is evil. But I could be wrong. She seemed very nice and smart enough. But then, look at the goat. The goat is telling no lies. There could be a medical problem with the goat but I don't think so. She was provided no hay or grain or minerals. She was provided the pasture she's standing on. Which looks fine to human eyes. But what do we know? The owner looked like a fine person, but what do I know? I only know that goat is about to die. I decided to make that the most important fact.

As a trained rape crisis counselor and as a teacher, I am a mandatory reporter. Mandatory reporting laws say that if a person in certain professions sees, or suspects, a child being hurt we must report that information to local authorities. We have these laws because of observation bias and because of the human capacity for denial. Children are relatively helpless dependents. If they are being abused by a caregiver, someone needs to step in and help. You just wouldn't believe how rare it is for anyone to actually step in and get help--legally. Because of denial and bias. I believe the goat owner is in denial and operating under some profound observational bias. Animals aren't that different from children in terms of helplessness. So I called the law. I'm glad I did. The owner was furious. But that's too bad for her because, again, look at the goat.

But how are my own goats doing? They aren't fat. Pasture and hay suffered last year because of drought. We limped into spring on marginal hay. And I've been experimenting with sprouted grains as fodder. There has been a learning curve, for which the goats pay. Also, I don't think I had the right minerals out. I've added a new one with more copper and suddenly the girls are shedding out their raggedy looking rough coats. Thankfully, they are sleek and shiny underneath. I'm only milking the brown goat, Cedar. Cereza, the black goat, is dry. They are both first fresheners. These pictures were taken before the new minerals fully kicked in.