Lost Australian Sheep Gets Nearly 90 Pounds of Wool Sheared Off
The sheep was estimated to have five years of wool on him.
— -- A major haircut took place in Australia Wednesday after a sheep with nearly five years worth of wool on him was found wandering outside of Canberra.
The sheep, who has been nicknamed “Chris," was rescued Wednesday by RSPCA Australia officials after someone spotted him wandering with a much bigger-than-average mass of wool.
RSPCA officials immediately put out a plea for a shearer who could handle the difficult task, given that the sheep was thought to be in grave danger from the stress of his predicament.
“While he could barely walk or fit through our paddock doors, our biggest fear was that he might have serious infections under that mass of wool,” the RSPCA wrote on its website. “…We were also unsure if he could live through this ordeal as he was clearly stressed and could die easily of shock.”
The RSPCA and its CEO, Tammy Ven Dange, live tweeted much of the sheering once it took place.
In the end, officials said 40.45 kilograms, or roughly 89 pounds, of wool was removed from the sheep, an amount the RSPCA called a “new unofficial world record.”
The RSPCA says the sheep is “looking like a new man” and will remain under observation for a few days before being put up for adoption.
The nickname "Chris," according to the RSCPA, was given to the sheep by the person who found him, and they are letting it stick.