Rescue & Adoptions

2007 Featured Rescues

Sheep Leaves behind Thorny Past, Enjoys Simpler Life at New York Shelter

Hidden within a 10-acre labyrinth of overgrown brush, Thistle the sheep passed nearly seven years of her life out of sight and out of mind on a farm in rural New York. Here, the strong-willed survivor foraged for each meal and watched helplessly as other animals succumbed to neglect and died in the pasture that imprisoned her. Finally leaving her all alone, Thistle's "owners" had her only companion hauled away-a horse who was tied to the back of a truck and led to a home miles down the road. Unable to persevere any more, Thistle cried out in despair-a startling sound that alerted compassionate neighbors to her pain and facilitated her rescue by New York Shelter staff: a rescue that couldn't have happened at a more critical time.

Sheep, very sensitive, flock-oriented animals, were never meant to live on their own. Scientific studies, in fact, have shown time and again that sheep experience severe stress when separated from their flock mates-a real panic evidenced by increased heart rates, stress hormones and bleating. One study in particular revealed that animals' vitals actually returned to normal when they were shown photos of familiar sheep; no changes occurred when they were shown pictures of goats or triangles. Knowing all too well the adverse effects isolation could have on Thistle, we wasted no time coming to her aid.

But when Farm Sanctuary caregivers and staff showed up at the Auburn farm, they had trouble even spotting the desperate sheep they set out to rescue. Assured by witnesses that she was "out there somewhere," shelter staff trekked through the pasture, looking for signs of the sheep. When they finally caught sight of her, they couldn't believe their eyes.

Carrying the weight of a massive fleece nearly three times the size of the animal beneath it, Thistle was covered in so many burrs that she was literally camouflaged by the overgrown pasture that surrounded her. A product of selective breeding for increased wool yield, Thistle's breed is one that's been historically manipulated to grow more wool than sheep would ever need for cool weather protection. And, like many modern wool-bearing sheep, animals of Thistle's kind are also reliant on shearing at least once a year for removal of their fleeces. Since she had rarely been in the presence of humans, let alone shorn by them, Thistle's wool was in a frightful state and was so heavy that it slowed her down, making her unable to elude her friendly, yet unwelcome capture.

Upon her arrival at Farm Sanctuary, Thistle was in great need of immediate, hands-on healthcare. The first order of business: to shear off her oppressive fleece. Soaked through with urine, the sheep suffered from urine scald, a very painful condition affecting the skin on her entire backside. The wool beneath her tail had also collected feces, creating an ideal environment for flies to lay eggs in warmer weather, and the burrs lodged deep in her coat rubbed against her skin and caused sores, as well as threatened to cause eye infections. The weight of the fleece also endangered Thistle, who, if ever flipped over on her back in remote pastures, wouldn't be able to get back up on her own.

So, over the course of a few hours, shelter caregivers removed the fleece slowly and carefully. Though scared through and through by all the activity involved in her rescue and relocation, Thistle seemed to recognize that a weight was being lifted from her and remained calm and quiet during shearing. The newly-emerged sheep was smaller and underweight, but nonetheless cleaner, more agile and confident. After shearing, Thistle had her hoofs trimmed and was immediately outfitted with a jacket, that she'll wear every day until enough wool grows back to protect her from the cold.

Under more typical circumstances, sheep are normally farmed for wool and meat; female sheep like Thistle, more specifically, are primarily raised to produce lambs for slaughter in addition to being shorn for their wool. After they cease producing prime wool and lambs, like "spent" dairy cows and laying hens, they are typically slaughtered for meat or other by-products. Why Thistle's "owners" had the sheep on their farm is unknown, but one thing is certain: Whether originally intended for production or not, she faced an end every bit as terrible as those awaiting most industry sheep.

Now, for the first time in her life, Thistle no longer has to search for food, endure neglect or long for companionship. Joining a flock made up of more than 70 friendly, familiar faces to bring her comfort and help her heal from her thorny past, the courageous sheep's first carefree days and nights at the farm have already done her a world of good.