Eight sheep are looking for a home after owners were found murdered
May 31, 2016, 10:51 PM | Updated: Oct 11, 2024, 10:00 am
Executive Director of Pasado's Safe Haven feeds Benson a cracker. (Rachel Belle, KIRO Radio)
(Rachel Belle, KIRO Radio)
On April 12, Arlington couple Patrick Shunn and Monique Patenaude were reported missing. Last week the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed what many feared. That they were murdered — shot to death.
The couple left behind eight pet sheep that have been taken in by animal sanctuary Pasado’s Safe Haven.
“We’ve got 85 acres here, around 200 animals,” said Executive Director Laura Henderson. “Most of whom have arrived from cases of cruelty and neglect.”
Henderson leads me into a pen where five of the sheep are nervously huddled together, nervous about us intruding on their temporary home.
“This is Benson,” she said, pointing to one of the Barbados Black Belly sheep. “We’ve got two mamas and babies back there. On the far right is Alice and her baby is Dot, the little white one. There’s Luna, the other mama, and her little baby standing next to her is Squiggy.”
In the pen next door are Poppy, Eloise, and Templeton, the token male ram.
Benson, Luna, Squiggy, Alice and Dot at Pasado’s Safe Haven. (Rachel Belle, KIRO Radio)
Henderson says the sheep are perfectly healthy, vaccinated and sweet. They’re just nervous and adjusting to their new environment.
“Those animals, generally, they know their names, they know their routines, they know when they’re loved and well cared for,” she said. “I have no doubt that these animals are missing Monique and Patrick. No doubt at all. Those of us who have cats or dogs can imagine how our animals would react if one day we didn’t come home. So I think it’s very similar for these guys.”
Henderson pulled out a packet of Saltines, which is what Monique used to give the sheep as snacks. She says Monique would crinkle the packet, and the sheep would walk up and eat of her hand.
Henderson held out a cracker and slowly, timidly, a couple of the sheep came up and nibbled the Saltines.
“You can see that they’re getting a little bit braver. I think [the crinkling of the Saltines packet] is a familiar sound, it’s a familiar smell, we hope. They’ve been through so much change and we’re hoping this is a comforting ritual.”
Henderson says they’re looking for someone to adopt all eight of the sheep, ideally they don’t want to split them up.
“They’re a family,” she said. “We see the split as temporary while we make sure that they’re healthy, get them their vaccines. As soon as they’re cleared to go up to the main pasture they’ll be back together again and we’d really like to see them adopted as a group.”
They do have a couple interested people, but they’re still taking applications from interested people.
“We’re looking for a family, first and foremost, who wants these sheep as pets,” Henderson said. “Who will love them and care for them just as Patrick and Monique did. They need to have enough land that’s well-fenced, a barn facility where they can go in and be safe at night. We do home checks just to make sure that folks have thought through all the considerations for farm animals, that they’re prepared to take on their new family members.”
But for now, everyone is safe and sound in their beautiful, pastoral home at Pasado’s Safe Haven.
“Of course, they’re welcome to stay here as long as they need to. As long as it takes to find the right family for these guys, they will have a home here at Pasado’s Safe Haven.”
