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on the kids. Look at that goat. Fill the water. What’s up with the chickens? Any number of things that I may observe are what her an- swers are to me.


Sometimes she’s ruminating and has this completely serene look (maybe a little stoned, if I may say that about my goat) and I al- ways wonder if she wants some munchies, besides regurgitated hay and forage


This is where I turn back to the grieving part I mentioned earlier. Grammie Nene, my mom, had been in a slow health decline all of 2019 and 2020. Thankfully, she lives with my middle sister just 1- mile from where our farm is. Luckily, our oldest sister also lives a mile away, the other direction, but we are all right here in the town of Lee.


COVID created challenges that were exhausting to mom getting


her to doctor’s appointments and eventually she asked not to pursue a cancer treatment and she was placed on hospice care in early Au- gust. She was able to remain in her home, my sister’s house, and we took turns helping as much as we could and spending as much time with her since we knew the inevitable was approaching. Early September 3, with all three sisters and a son-in-law by her side, she drew her last breath and went home to be with the Lord. Exhaustion had set in for all of us and we moved through that day like zombies. Eventually we got in the car and headed for the Maine coast, a place our mom loved to visit even if only for a few minutes. We laughed, we cried, we laughed again because that is what she would have wanted. And then we were quiet, retreating inward to begin our private stages of grieving. Once home for the day, the chores were completed, but I still found my way to the barn to see the herd and talk with Nani. You see, Nani’s mother passed away three days before my mom did. One afternoon, Josh and I took a ride to get some parts for a project we were working on. Amelia got home from her job at the bakery and went out to check on the forest-foraging herd. While checking the woods, not far from the barnyard, she found Kona lay- ing down away from the herd. By that evening, she had passed away. So that is why I sought out Nani the day my mom passed away. I found her, I hugged her and I cried. And I cried some more. And then when I was done crying, I cried a little more. Josh and Ame- lia came out to check on me and I cried a little more. If you research animal therapy, goats as support animals are on


the rise. Will they ever be more popular than canine support? Per- haps, as more people learn the secret of goat love, maybe their pro- fession of helping the two-legged herd members will increase. Goats are motivated by love and attention and that is a priority for animal- assisted therapy.


Kikos are a meat goat but often referred to as a dual-purpose breed. I would say that in addition to meat and dairy, adding goat- scaping and therapy makes them a multi-purpose goat breed. According to this article at the Backyard Goats’ website (https://backyardgoats.iamcountryside.com/ownership/therapy- goats-from-hoof-to-the-heart/) there are four main reasons that caprines are becoming more popular as therapy animals. It is no secret to goat people that they are easily trained, highly socialized, non-violent and extremely entertaining. It comes as no surprise that this exactly describes my Nani! Nani is my emotional support animal. As the anniversary of our


mothers’ deaths approaches at the beginning of September, I will con- tinue to love and heal with my Nani. She allows me to scratch her or rub her and talk about my feelings.


I ask her how she is doing without her mom? We agree that it doesn’t get easier, it just becomes more normal as the days go by.


August 2021 | Goat Rancher 37 A young Nani cuddles with her mother, Kona.


Sometimes I cry a little but that is happening less and less. Getting through some first-without-mom holidays and my birthday was not easy but Nani was there for me.


Standing guard atop the dog-loo, waiting to alert the herd of the


humans’ arrival, Nani will continue to help me heal and deal with my grief. I hope that in your time of need you can turn to a special goat as your emotional support animal as I do with Nani every single day.


(Josh and Kathy Crise, and their grown children, Amelia and Kevin, operate Marble Creek Acres in Lee, Maine. For interest in a fu- ture year’s Kiko waitlist, questions or if you have topics you might like to read about in a future Goat Rancher, we can be reached at 207-619- 3758, email mainekikos@gmail.com or marblecreekacres.com)


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