PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. — Two sheep have been wandering through Ozaukee County for months, captivating residents and sparking a community-wide effort to help bring them home.
The sheep were first spotted in Mequon months ago and have since been seen migrating north through Grafton and, most recently, Port Washington. Doorbell camera video shared by a viewer shows the woolly wanderers casually strolling through a residential yard.
"It's kind of unique just to have farm animals running wild," said Debra Golec, an EMT who spotted the sheep while returning from a grocery run.
The sheep's journey has inspired a whole cadre of would-be herders searching the area. Despite numerous sightings and amateur search efforts, no one has been able to corral the animals, as they run away when anyone gets close.
"[It] looks like they should've been sheared twice already with all that wool," Golec said.
The sheep have been spotted on bluffs north of downtown Port Washington, drawing curious onlookers to search for them throughout the area and post on Facebook about their exploits.
Watch: Ozaukee County neighbors captivated by search for two missing sheep roaming across the county for months
TMJ4 spoke on the phone with one neighbor and animal enthusiast from outside Ozaukee County, Bernie Schneider, who has been leading the search for days, trying to use a net to trap them.
Given the distance they have covered, their presence has become a topic of conversation across Ozaukee County, especially at Thanksgiving tables across the country.
"It reminds me of what we'd see in Ireland. They just think the world is theirs," said Kristin Thiel, executive director of the Mequon Nature Preserve, who keeps sheep of her own.
With winter weather setting in, there's renewed urgency to locate the animals. Thiel warns that snow cover will limit their food sources.
"With this white blanket (or snow), we are going to have a lot less food source for them, so they're going to get hungry," Thiel said.
Residents are also using Facebook groups to track sightings and coordinate search efforts.
The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office says they don't yet know who owns the sheep or how they escaped.
The sheriff's department is asking anyone who spots the sheep to call them immediately.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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