7 sheep escape NJ slaughterhouse, will live at sanctuary

Seven sheep escaped a New Jersey slaughterhouse and will now get a new chance at life at an animal sanctuary.

The sheep were spotted wandering the streets of Paterson — New Jersey’s third largest city — after officials believe they fled from an abattoir on River Street early Monday morning.

Several witnesses reported the strange scene to the police department, NorthJersey.com reported.

Paterson police rounded up six of the animals roaming around the city, loading them in the back of police cars like escaped prisoners. 

“We had to get them off the road,” Paterson Chief Animal Control Officer John DeCando said. “We had to get them to a safe place, because when they run, they bump into people and they bump into things.”

The sheep were taken to the city’s animal control shelter before they were transferred to the Skylands Animal Sanctuary in Sussex County. 

While the sanctuary was transporting the six sheep back to the farm, they received another call about a seventh sheep that was found in neighboring Hawthorne in Bergen County, Skylands said in a social media post.

“That makes all seven, now reunited, and forever safe,” the sanctuary said.

DeCando said he was unsure how the sheep escaped, but was happy to see that they’d live out the rest of their lives comfortably.

“If they were going where I think they were going, they would probably be dead by now and put on someone’s plate,” DeCando said. “But now they’ll live the rest of their lives the way they should be on the farm.” 

In their new home, the sheep will have “600 acres of property to roam freely and live the rest of their lives in peace,” DeCando told TapIntoPaterson. 

For these lucky sheep, all’s wool that ends wool.

“Thank you to everyone who worked to get these kids to safety, they are strong and stubborn,” the sanctuary said.