[at-l] goats as "pack animals"?

[David Addleton]

I finally read the tread about the goat on the AT.

Since I've lived in several parts of the world where goats are important
domesticated animals for many purposes, and since I've never heard of a goat
being used as a "pack animal" anywhere, in any part of the world, I decided
to run a WestLaw search looking for the meaning of "pack animal" in US law.
[I have seen them, for purposes of humor at fairs, etc., placed in front of
a cart; but no one in their right mind would use their goat source of food,
milk, cheese, and a fine skin for water or wine as pack animal!]

My first search <goat & "pack animal"> was designed to return any case in
which the word "goat" and the words "pack animal" appeared together. Nada.
Then I remembered the main search only looks in cases published after 1944.
So I went to the pre-1945 database. Nada. [FYI: the algorithms will pick up
the plurals, so I didn't have to type "goats" or "animals" . . .]

Then I went to look in the statutes database: nada.

Code of Federal Regulations . . . The CFR was cited in the article at
http://www.nhpr.org/node/17818 . . . the cite was "36 CFR A" which doesn't
help me much . . .The words  <goat and "pack animal"> appear at 36 CFR
[Subpart H] § 242.26 Subsistence taking of wildlife . . . pack animals can't
be taken for subsistence [i.e., food] . . .

But 36 CFR § 1.4 apparently allows the superintendent of the National Parks
to designate certain hoofed animals as "pack animals":
"Pack animal means horses, burros, mules or other hoofed mammals when
designated as pack animals by the superintendent."

Now, this is some awesome and amazing power granted to a superintendent:
s/he can, contrary to any custom, history, or usage respecting goats
anywhere in the world "designate" them as a "pack animal" under American
law! And remove a hiker and his/her pet goat from the trail! [And we
couldn't even give our secretary of treasury a blank check for 700 billion
dollars?!]

Thankfully dogs and cats do not appear subject to a superintendent's whims:
they don't have hooves!

Now, if all the people staring into the dark abyss of the future see
correctly a depression with the dimensions of the 1930s looming, many of us
may be herding goats merely to put food on the table, and amongst those who
do, and use them carry things, may their curries be too tough to enjoy,
their cheeses rancid, their wine/water bags leak, and their goat hair shirts
worn as penence !
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