FOOT AND MOUTH - Threatened sheep sleep in family room

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ET ISSUE 2167 Tuesday 1 May 2001

Threatened sheep sleep in lounge [family room]

THE owner of five pet sheep who is trying to save them from slaughter because of foot and mouth disease today said her animals were "very happy" after they spent their first night in her living room.

Carolyn Hoffe usually keeps the Dutch Zwartbles sheep in a paddock close to her home in Glasserton, Dumfries and Galloway. They are due to be culled because the paddock is within three kilometres of an infected farm - but Mrs Hoffe barricaded them in her house yesterday to stop Scottish Executive officials taking them.

She ripped out her living room carpet, replaced it with sawdust and straw and put all her furniture upstairs so the sheep - Maggie, Matthew, Melissa, Emily and Eva - could move in.

Mrs Hoffe - who also placed furniture up against the windows and doors of a room to stop officials trying to get into the house - said today: "The sheep are fine and they are very happy.

"One slept under a radiator, which was turned off, while the other four slept along the walls. It is not ideal as it is a beautiful day and they should be outside, as they love being out in the open, but I am too frightened to put them out."

Mrs Hoffe fed the animals a breakfast of sheep mix, cabbage, carrot and turnip. A friend is to take freshly-cut grass for them to eat later today.

Mrs Hoffe, who has contacted a solicitor to mount a legal challenge to the slaughter plan, said she was prepared to keep the animals indoors for as long as necessary to protect them.

She said it was 19 days since the neighbouring farm was classified as infected, she said, adding: "They are a rare species here in Scotland and they shouldn't be culled."

-- Anonymous, May 01, 2001


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