LONELY SOAY SHEEP

[MADOG & JENNY]

We rescued our (horned) Soay sheep Willow, who is 6 years old, from a couple that kept her with goats, that would attack her & also ducks that pecked at her, pulling her wool out.  She lives in our garden & stays close to our dogs for security, when they're out. She follows the dogs indoors and thinks she is one of them and often comes in to be with me as well. She is very tame & friendly and will eat from your hand, but she doesn't like you to cuddle her and she would not be ideal around small children. She follows me when called or when it's time to be put to bed in her stable.   

Unfortunately, when she is on her own she bleats and becomes very lonely.  She needs to be with other sheep for security and company.  I would like to see her go to a friendly environment, as a pet, with other sheep. (No goats!) She is a sweet little sheep and we will be sorry to see her go, but it is better for her welfare.

We are in the north of L'Allier(03) near Lurcy Levis

 

[cooperlola]

Just a thought, but they do tend to get on well with horses and ponies too, so she could make a good companion for a lone equine.

[MADOG & JENNY]

Thank`s for a quick reply. We have 4 Shetland ponies in our field but Willow won`t follow them far before she heads back to the fence wanting to get back into the garden.

[cooperlola]

I think that a sheep will preferably join another sheep, as a pony will join a pony.  But there are several racehorse trainers who use lone sheep (and goats) as companions for individual horses, and both seem to relish it.  With four ponies, she probably doesn't stand so much of a chance.