UPDATE: ‘Interest’ in adopting murdered Arlington couple’s sheep, but no takers yet

UPDATE: Laura Henderson, with Pasado’s Safe Haven, says “a couple people” have shown interest in learning more about adopting the eight Barbados Blackbelly sheep left behind by the Arlington couple that went missing in April. The bodies of the missing couple — Patrick Shunn and Monique Patenaude — were found by police Tuesday.

The nonprofit animal shelter still hopes to find a place where all eight sheep can stay together, but Henderson says the herd is “settling in” and being cared for while receiving medical care in the healing barn.

“They will be able to stay with us while we look for an adoptive home for them,” she said.

“People have been very moved by this story,” she added. “Anyone with pets of their own can imagine just how upsetting this whole ordeal is. We’re looking for some good to come from a very, very sad situation.”

Pasado’s Safe Haven itself has been moved by local generosity — it has received steady donations after the story of the sheep was published, according to Wendy Ogunsemore with the shelter. But she asks supporters to keep those donations coming. The shelter is entirely non-profit, managing more than 200 rescued animals at any time — many of which come from situations of severe animal cruelty. With the recently-rescued Arlington sheep, Pasado’s Safe Haven expects to take care of them for the “unforeseeable future,” which will require veterinarian care, food, and more.

The shelter keeps a list of needed items on its website, and also an Amazon wishlist.

ORIGINAL STORY: When couple Patrick Shunn and Monique Patenaude went missing around rural Arlington, neighbors noticed something was wrong.

“As we understand it, one of the ways people were alerted to the fact the couple was missing was that neighbors noticed the animals weren’t getting the care that they normally did,” said Laura Henderson with Pasado’s Safe Haven, an animal shelter in Monroe.

“These were beloved family pets,” she said. “I don’t know how long they had been without food or care because the couple disappeared.”

More specifically, sheep — eight Barbados Blackbelly sheep.  There’s Benson, Alice and Luna who are between 3-4 year’s old. Then there’s Templeton, Poppy and Eliose who are about three. And then Dot and Squiggy, who are estimated to be about 4 months old.

Their owners Shunn and Patenaude are presumed murdered. The suspects — brothers John and Tony Reed — went on the run. So far Tony has been apprehended in California and John remains at large. The only traces of Shunn and Patenaude are their abandoned vehicles. Their bodies have not been located. A Snohomish County court has charged the brothers with murder.

Related: Tony Reed captured in California; brother still on the run

“A friend of Monique’s, they were distraught of the loss of this couple and they left behind these beloved animals,” Henderson said.

That friend got them to Pasado’s Safe Haven. The late couple’s sheep have been transferred there. They are currently under quarantine and receiving medical care. Once it is determined that they are healthy, they will be allowed to join the herd at the shelter.

“They came to us hungry and confused,” Henderson said. “Just as anyone with a cat or a dog can understand — their owner disappeared and to be transferred via trailer to a new place is just a disorienting experience for these little guys.”

For the time being, the sheep are settling in. Henderson said they can stay at the shelter indefinitely, but Pasado’s will try to get them adopted when the time is right. She said that a good home would be any place with some decent land, fences and people who are prepared to take care of them like pets.

“With this group, I would imagine we would like to see them stay together because they are a little herd,” Henderson said. “That’s the life they’ve known. We would wait until we find a forever home for them. But they can stay here as long as they need to.”

Pasado’s Safe Haven is a nonprofit organization. Taking in the sheep was a bit of an unexpected hit for the shelter so any help from the public would be welcome.

Donations can be made through the shelter’s website, pasadosafehaven.org. There is an option to donate financially to the organization, but they also have a wish list of items people can donate, such as food, kitty litter and zip-lock bags. A wishlist is also kept on Amazon.com.

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