A sheep found on the loose in the city of Orange has found a new home at a local zoo.
Rudy the Sheep looks healthy now. He has gained some weight and can see out of his right eye once again. When he first came to the Popcorn Park Zoo he was in bad shape, according to officials.
Zoo director John Bergmann says that when Rudy was found he had a lacerated ear and was blind in his right eye. He needed treatment for an ulcerated cornea, which included eye drops.
“It was like every two hours for seven days we were coming out here and doing it,” Bergmann says.
Bergmann says that the sheep was depressed when he first arrived at the zoo as well.
“He really liked the company, you can tell. He was right next to us and walking around with us,” Bergmann says.
Rudy was named after Chief Orange Animal Control Officer Rudy Giordano. Giordano found the animal on the street after a call came in from a resident complaining of a sheep on the loose. And while this might sound strange, Giordano says that this wasn’t the strangest call he’s ever responded to. He recently recovered a three-foot-long alligator from an abandoned home.
But Giordano says that there was something unique about Rudy. He had six balloons tied to his ear and tail, which, along with a square-shaped patch of missing wool led Giordano to believe that the sheep was part of a ritual sacrifice before it escaped.
Animal Control officials say they are still trying to find the person responsible. That person could face animal cruelty charges.
Rudy will spend the rest of his days at the Popcorn Park Zoo. The zoo does
accept donations from anyone who wishes to contribute to Rudy’s care.