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Shrek the Sheep

Pulling the wool over his eyes
April 20, 2004

Shrek, a woolly Merino with a huge fleece on his back, has had his date with the clippers postponed -- at least for now.

Shrek has gone without shearing for six years after skilfully evading musterers, but he was captured late last week.

John Perriam, owner of Bendigo Station in central Otago, had planned to have the sheep shorn of its estimated 27kg fleece.

But such has been the great interest in the hermit merino that he's decided to let Shrek's fleece remain a little longer.

He said television stations had been in touch with him about Shrek, there was talk of a documentary and suggestions had been made about using the animal to raise money for charity.

Mr Perriam says he'll wait a while and decide on the best option.

Until then Shrek will sweat on under his big pile of wool.

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Concern over sudden shearing of celebrity sheep
April 21, 2004

Shrek, an extra-woolly New Zealand sheep who gained media stardom after avoiding being sheared for years, will lose his luscious coat later this week with any proceeds from the event going to charity.

John Perriam, who owns Bendigo Station in Central Otago, is also inquiring to see if Shrek could be a Guinness World Record.

Last Thursday, Shrek was caught by musterers in rocks 1,500 metres above sea level on the Tarras property after six years on the run.

The nine-year-old wether has since become a celebrity after newspaper and television coverage of his flight from the clippers.

Perriam estimates 500 people viewed Shrek over the weekend and said various media wanted to attend the shearing of his 27kg, 380mm-long fleece.

Shrek's story also attracted the attention of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which has queried Perriam's decision not to shear Shrek immediately.

However, Marjorie Orr, a member of the RSPCA in Dunedin who rang Perriam yesterday to ensure Shrek would be shorn, said she had no concerns about the wether's safety.

She was worried any delay in shearing could be seen by some hobby farmers as an excuse for them not to shear their sheep.

"We are happy with Mr Perriam's attitude, his experience and his integrity. No doubt the wether will be shorn as soon as it is practical to do it," she said.

To shear a sheep with six years' wool too soon could be too great a shock and it could suffer from hypothermia, Orr said.

It would have to be done by an experienced shearer using a comb that left a layer of wool on, which she was confident Perriam would arrange.

Perriam said he assured the RSPCA he was not sending hobby farmers the wrong message and that Shrek was in fine health.

Posted by thinkum at April 20, 2004 04:43 PM