I go, Hugo

The chap on the far left here is Hugo. He's a Dorset cross that left us when he was about 12 hours old to live with his new family a few towns away. His mother had issues and we had to foster the lambs. The Dorset next to him is actually his twin brother, Gimli.


They were reunited briefly at last year's shearing, when these pictures were taken. To have a shearer come for just one sheep would have cost his new owners a pretty penny so we sheep sat him for an overnight slumber party with his brother and cousins and he was shorn here.

Hugo's foster family reared him on a bottle and adore him. He is a real pet and follows people about like a dog. Actually, he's much better than our dog at following. He cried when we left him with the other sheep and, tellingly, was quiet and happy when we were with him. Hugo the Human Sheep. He's touchingly trusting, we can do anything with him. Here SO is checking his teeth. With one hand. Hugo stands there and lets him.


Hugo also has a tail. His new owners saw no reason to dock him when they had him constantly nearby and could meet all his sheepish hygiene requirements. This hasn't been an issue, but his general health, suddenly, has.


We got a distressed phone call the other night, Hugo was sick and was there anything more his loving carers could do? After a lengthy conversation involving worms, snot, diarrhea and abnormal bodily functions we were all satisfied that the vet's attendance and resultant medications plus warm shed full of hay were the best that could be done that evening. I did talk his foster mother out of sleeping in the shed with him. Although I may have been known to do this on occasion too, it's not officially recorded.

It transpired that Hugo had a slight cold, but also a heavy burden of Barber's Pole worm. Not nice, but happily treatable. Of course, when you are a spoilt only sheep with no other problems in the world your owners can be forgiven for overlooking such a thing. The commoner sheep who had moved in a few months previous may have brought it with them. Hugo should be looking up soon.