Sheep in Christmas Sweater Reunited With Owner

— -- A sheep who had been unknowingly spreading Christmas cheer through the streets of Omaha, Neb., has been reunited with his owner.

The sheep, named Gage, was found wandering Omaha over the weekend decked out in a red and green Christmas sweater.

Animal control officers from the Nebraska Humane Society found the sheep Sunday evening after a homeowner called police to report a sheep in a sweater on his lawn. The police dispatcher called the Humane Society to respond to the unusual call.

"We provide animal control services for the entire metro area, so we occasionally get a stray sheep or goat or peacock or something on the unusual side, but this was a first," Humane Society spokeswoman Pam Wiese told ABC News.

The Humane Society posted a photo of Gage in his sweater on their Facebook page Tuesday, where it quickly went viral, drawing thousands of “Likes” and hundreds of comments.

“Please tell me it isn’t a wool sweater,” wrote one commenter.

The rapid spread of the Facebook post led to Gage’s reunion with his owner last night.

"The owner picked him up last night around 6:30 p.m.," Wiese said. "She was very grateful."

When Gage's owner, Margaret Vazquez, arrived at the Humane Society Tuesday, she was asked for proof that Gage is her sheep. In response, she showed Humane Society officials photos of Gage dressed up for other occasions, like Halloween, according to Wiese.

"His owner likes to dress him up and that’s why he was wearing a sweater," Wiese said. "He’s like a dog to them. They dress him up and let him in the house."

Wiese says that Gage was found just about one block from the Vazquez's home. The sheep had no injuries and had easily survived in the 30 and 40 degree temperatures because it appeared it had not been shorn "in quite a while," according to Wiese.

"He was plenty warm in his natural wooliness," she said.

Vazquez's husband, Mario Vazquez, told local ABC affiliate KETV that he “loves” Gage and decided “a long time ago” to just keep him as a pet.

“I got attached to him and I like him," Vazquez told KETV, adding that Gage has his own shed in the backyard of the family's home.