From rescued to rehomed: Fiona, our very own Shrek

Worldwide fans were enthralled by the story of Shrek the sheep, a New Zealand Merino wether who evaded capture for six years and grew an impressive wool coat in the process. Despite his intrepid spirit, Shrek’s condition would have made him quite uncomfortable, and his welfare was improved by his eventual shearing.

Sadly, Shrek passed away in 2011 – so imagine our Inspector Amanda’s surprise when, upon arrival at an Auckland property, she saw the spitting image of him before her!

The sheep Amanda saw had been abandoned on a small lifestyle block for two years. She received no care in all that time, left to her own devices and forced to fend for herself. As a result, she grew a heavy wool coat, which weighed her down immensely and made her quite uncomfortable.

Amanda knew she had to act, immediately bringing the sheep into our care. She was hot and stressed when she arrived at our Māngere Centre, so we gave her proper food, water, and a sheltered place to rest.

After naming her Fiona (in a nod to her famous predecessor), our teams got to work. Fiona underwent standard veterinary checks and passed with flying colours – there was nothing much wrong with her, despite her multi-year independence. She was a tough cookie!

Like her namesake, it was time for Fiona to make her ultimate transformation, from being held captive in a prison of wool to her true self. They rang a local shearer to get the job done, and were amazed at the result!

Fiona had been carrying around 5.95kg of wool – not quite as shocking as Shrek’s 27kg, but still far more than she should have been allowed to grow. It had been matted to her skin, and was caked in dirt, faeces, and insects. With it gone, Fiona perked up straight away, feeling lighter and ready for her new life.

Healthy and happy with a brand-new haircut to thank, Fiona was ready for her next step. It was time for her to be uploaded to our website for adoption – but she never got that far.

Her rescuer Amanda, who has an older sheep at home in need of a friend, has stepped up to the plate to become a mum of two! She plans to adopt Fiona, knowing she can give her the good life she deserves.