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“For a cow, Veronika has had what might be considered an idyllic life. She lives in a picturesque town in Austria, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and glacial lakes. She is a beloved family pet, rather than a production animal, and spends her days ambling through tree-lined pastures. And when she has an itch, she scratches it — by expertly wielding a stick.” A pet cow named Veronika can scratch her own back with a broom — the first scientifically documented case of tool use in cows. (My beagles have mastered the art of getting others to scratch their backs. Who’s the tool now?)