Today was a sad day on the farm because one of my favorite sheep passed away.

Baron, my moorit Perendale wether, had been sick for about 1 week with what was either bladder stones or a bowel obstruction. He became sick last Thursday night after Linda had her babies ( there was no connection ).

He would lay around that night and act as if he was having stomach cramps and hump up his back. By the next morning he would let me literally crawl all over him ( he would eat out of my hand and let me scratch him a little but nothing like this ), so I called the vet to tell her what was wrong. I got 2 pain shots for him and the 1 worked so well that within 15 minutes he was up and walking.

He ate, or rather picked at his food all week but last night he ate real well and even watched the lambs play. But this morning things didn't look good - he was standing around by himself with his head down. I got him back up to the house so I could watch him better and he went back out but came back again.

I checked on him at 2:30 this afternoon and he looked a little better but I had decided to give him the last pain shot when I went out to feed at 5:30pm. I looked out at 3:45 and he had lain down by the tree and died.

Baron was 7 years old and after a rough, almost cruel, lambhood came home with me in a large dog shipping crate in the back of a small car in July 2001. He met TJ ( my dark grey border Leicester wether ) and became inseparable - where you saw 1 you saw the other and what 1 didn't think of to do the other did.

Baron was such a sweetheart that the ewes would leave their babies with him and he wouldn't leave the spot he was at until the very last ewe had picked up her lamb. He loved animal crackers, alfalfa cubes, sweet feed ( you would have thought he was a lamb the way he would eat it ) and in the last year, had let me scratch him on his back ( he was abused as a lamb and when I picked him you, the man who was helping me take him to the car used a cattle prod on him the entire way as I led him ). He rarely got out but when he did, he'd come back to the front gate and stand until you let him back in. There wasn't a mean bone in his body, he was just a sweet loving guy who will be sorely missed.

TJ was watching when Baron was taken out front ( to be picked up tomorrow ) but didn't try to follow. I think TJ knew Baron was sick because he would stay close to Baron the whole week he was sick to the point TJ would push me towards Baron. TJ will need extra care for a while to help him adjust to Baron being gone.

I know some people think " oh, it's just a dumb sheep ", but Baron had a great personality and loving nature that he could make anyone fall in love with him.

Sleep tight, Baron, we miss you.

Love, MOM and the rest of the flock.