What looked like a heap of tangled fleece and twigs in the Australian bush turned out to be something far more urgent. In March 2022, a passerby in Victoria paused to take a closer look — and realized the “pile” was actually a sheep, collapsed beneath the crushing weight of his unshorn wool.
Unable to stand, the sheep was in desperate need of help. The Good Samaritan quickly contacted Edgar’s Mission, a local farm sanctuary, who rushed to the scene.
“I’m not sure how long the poor fellow had been lying there,” said Pam Ahern, founder and director of Edgar’s Mission. “But judging by the length of his fleece, it had been many years since he was last shorn. Had he not been found when he was, he would not have survived.”
Rescuers gently transported the sheep — later named Alex — to safety, then began the painstaking process of removing his heavy coat.
By the time they were finished, 88 pounds of wool had been sheared from his frail body.
At last, Alex was free. Though unsteady at first, he rose to his feet and took tentative steps, rediscovering the simple joy of movement.
“I’m not sure who was more relieved when the job was done,” Ahern said. “But there was a collective sigh of relief from everyone present.”
Now safe at Edgar’s Mission, Alex learned what it’s like to be loved.
Alex was introduced to his new flock — fellow rescued sheep who welcomed him warmly.
Among them were Chloe and Molly Brown, two elderly sheep who seemed to sense exactly what Alex needed as he adjusted to his new life.
“They let him know that he really had landed in heaven on earth,” the sanctuary wrote.
Today, Alex is thriving in his forever home, where love, safety, and freedom replace the burden he once carried.
To support rescues like Alex’s, you can make a donation to Edgar’s Mission.
