We already told you about how scientists have said that goats make excellent pets. Turns out, the little farm animals are even more perceptive than we ever thought, according to a new study.
A team of researchers in the U.K. found that goats stared about 50 percent longer at pictures of people smiling than pictures of frowning faces. The results, published in the Royal Society Open Science, noted that 20 goat test subjects looked at the happy photos “first, more often and for a longer duration.”
“The study has important implications for how we interact with livestock and other species, because the abilities of animals to perceive human emotions might be widespread and not just limited to pets,” Alan McElligott, lead researcher for the study, said in a statement.
BRB, signing up for a goat cuddling job stat. (Yes, it’s a real thing.)
