September 15, 2016

Sheep joins bears, alligator and zebras among area's unusual animal sightings

By Patricia Madej
PhillyVoice Staff

A sheep on the loose earlier this week in South Jersey – but has since been caught on Friday – is yet another unusual animal occurrence in a string of events that would make anyone pause.

The Borough of Haddonfield tweeted a cartoon sheep Wednesday advising citizens to beware of a skittish, large, white sheep making its way around the area.

Officials advised to not go near the sheep – "it may take it baaadly," they wrote.

Borough Clerk Deanna Bennett said the animal's owner reported the missing sheep from its Cherry Hill home the night before.

"We asked police to tell us if or when – we laughingly say – it's apprehended," she said.

Lt. Ed Wiley of the Haddonfield Police Department said that the animal "is not anything small" and estimates it to weigh around 115 pounds. While he doesn't know when it'll be caught, Wiley did confirm that the animal is eating grass and has plenty of water to drink.

"He's not one that stands still and when [someone] goes to catch it, goes away from everyone," he said. "Not a lot we can do about it."

Though on Friday, Haddonfield police posted on its Facebook page that the sheep was safely rescued with the help of the Winslow Township Police Department safely apprehended this afternoon in Haddonfield" with the help of a tranquilizer dart.

The escaped animal is the latest addition to a recent list of strange sightings.

Officials at Ithan Elementary School in Radnor Township put the school on a low-level lockdown Tuesday after police couldn't find a black bear that was seen near the school earlier that morning. While patrolling the area to look for the animal, one officer was charged by a bear, Philly.com reported.

It's not the first bear sighting. In July, the Pennsylvania Game Commission set up traps in Ridley Creek State Park in Upper Providence Township after a bear sighting.

Another bear was found walking through a residential neighborhood in Chadds Ford.

Authorities in Collegeville rescued a baby alligator on Sept. 1 with a trusty lacrosse stick.

One official said the reptile was likely released into Perkiomen Creek.

In August, a sheep delayed a minor-league baseball game in State College.

"There's a goat on the field stopping the game — or sheep or whatever," one announcer said. "Is it a sheep, ram, goat – what is it?"