[trish.farm]

Just had to have one of my favourite ewes shot.  Hand reared her from birth as her mother broke her leg in 2.  Splinted and nursed her leg for months.  Had 2 lovely sets of twins from her then nothing for 4 years.  She has been in the retirement flock for the last 2 years but spent the winter with the ram and his mate and 1 other barren ewe.  Had my paddock broken into last week (obviously trying to steal the sheep, my ram put paid to that idea, and when i got there the ram was seriously angry! Brought all 4 home but little peggy was very weak and poorly.  Been nursing her all weekend but this morning she started aborting a very small, very dead lamb.  Had no idea she was pregnant after 4 years being barren!  Feel so guilty.  lamb was starting to come out in pieces, peggy was losing the will to live, so i made a quick decision and put her out of her discomfort.  Now feeling awful that she was in lamb and i was unaware, and feeling so angry that people have chased my sheep about and caused my ewe a horrible end.

[shygirl]

that'is soo sad 
sounds like she had a very happy life though 

[mowhaugh]

Very sorry to hear that, your anger is fully justified. It sounds like Peggy had a wonderful life, though, and you bravely made he right decision for her.

[Womble]

What a sad story  . It really wasn't your fault though, and you did everything a good shepherd ever could have done  .

[darkbrowneggs]

How miserable for you.  So so sorry, and your poor ewe (((( ))))

[Rosemary]

 

[Pedwardine]

Really so incredibly sad and sorry to hear this. She sounds like a very special one off girl.

[Bionic]

Aww, how sad but you did the right thing for her in the end 

[devonlad]

so sorry to hear that- rotten thing to happen 

[SallyintNorth]

Very sorry to hear that, your anger is fully justified. It sounds like Peggy had a wonderful life, though, and you bravely made the right decision for her.

this.



 

It was on the news recently that the police are going to take thefts of working dogs more seriously, as they have now recognised that the emotional impact of such a crime is massive.  My immediate thought was to wonder if they would ever understand the emotional impact of sheep worrying and/or rustling on sheepkeepers.  It's not just the fondness one has for certain sheep (and even big burly farmers do have certain sheep they are fond of ), it's also the emotional trauma of having been unable to protect these creatures that depend on us for their care.  (And the same applies to crimes against other livestock too, of course.)

[kelly58]

Well said Sally    I have pet sheep that are in with my Boreray, the thought of that happening to them 
So sad 

[ZaktheLad]

  Sorry to hear this - thinking of you. 

[Foobar]

Very sorry to hear that, your anger is fully justified. It sounds like Peggy had a wonderful life, though, and you bravely made he right decision for her.

+1

[Bramblecot]

When you , it really hurts .  You have every right to be angry but at least you were able to do the right thing for your girl  .  I can't bear to think what happened to my poor old Willow and the shearlings, and I'm terrified of it happening again.

[trish.farm]

thanks everyone. Took peggy up to the abatoir this morning and they kindly opened her up for me, (nearly brought up my morning coffee but it was worth it) hadnt told them anything about what had happened.  They said straight away that she had been chased by dogs or humans about a week ago and the placenta had come away and lambs had died.  Neither of the twins were full term and would have been near on impossible to get them out without major trauma to the ewe.  Confirmed i did the right thing last night, and even more angry now.