Britain's loneliest sheep forced into hiding after exploitation claims

06 November 2023 , 12:27

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Fiona was stranded for more than two a half years (Image: Animal Rising)

Britain's loneliest sheep has been forced into hiding following a row with animal rights groups.

Fiona the sheep was rescued after being stranded on her own for over two years in the Scottish Highlands on the weekend.

The famous ewe caught thousands of Brits' attention after a kayaker pictured her stuck at the foot of a cliff at the Cromarty Firth two years after she was previously spotted. She was dubbed the loneliest sheep in the country, and an online petition was launched to rescue her.

Activists want Fiona to be rehomed at a sanctuary (Animal Rising)

On Saturday, a group of five farmers successfully extracted her from the isolated shoreline after they climbed a rocky gully with a winch. But a row over where she will be re-homed has caused Fiona's whereabouts to remain undisclosed. It follows concerns that she would be "exploited" and become a "spectacle" if she was placed in a farm park by Dumfries, reports BBC.

Campaign group Animal Rising staged a protest at Dalscone Farm on Sunday. A spokesperson said: "It was a peaceful, non-violent demonstration. We want Fiona to be rehomed at a sanctuary rather than a petting zoo." The group said some of its members had already visited the cliffs to help the sheep normalise human contact. They added that they were planning a similar extraction.

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Fiona was given a new look after being rescued (Thesheepgame)

"Farmer Ben", of Dalscone Farm, said workers and family members felt "intimidated" by the campaigners who used a drone and "Free Fiona" signs. He revealed the farm had planned to place her in a single pen and introduce her to other animals over time with veterinary supervision.

In a video on Facebook, he said: "We're going to give Fiona a five-star home, we are going to get her some amazing friends. We are obviously closed at the moment. The farm park's closed for the winter, for the next five months, so she's got loads of time to settle in. Nobody's going to be bugging her, we'll just get to know her, let her do her own thing. We are literally giving her the best home she could possibly get - and it's being blocked at the moment. And it's a crying shame."

Monica Charsley