Charlotte-Mecklenburg police spent the day yesterday playing last-minute shepherd, rounding up a runaway sheep that was spotted trotting through an east Charlotte park and keeping it from running into traffic. Officers herded the animal away from a busy road after sightings near Briarwood Academy on Wilann Drive, then held it until animal-control staff could take custody.
An unnamed officer told the Charlotte Observer that he nearly had the sheep at one point before it bolted back toward the park. The animal was later seen near traffic, according to the same report. The Observer notes that the sheep had no identification or microchip and is being treated as a lost animal, per a CMPD email.
Sheep Is Safe at Animal Shelter
The sheep is now housed in the barn at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control’s main shelter on Byrum Drive. Officials say anyone who thinks the animal might be theirs should contact the shelter at 704-336-7600, as listed on the City of Charlotte Animal Care & Control page.
How Officers Made the Catch
According to the Charlotte Observer, officers first spotted the sheep near Briarwood Academy on Wilann Drive before they began herding it away from the road. Police blocked traffic and worked together to corral the animal until animal-care staff arrived and transported it to the shelter.
Lost Livestock? What to Do
If you believe the sheep is yours, call Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control at 704-336-7600 and ask about the animal taken to the Byrum Drive shelter. The city’s Animal Care & Control page lists the shelter’s main location and contact information for reclaiming found animals.
