Sheep Escapes Slaughter Following Adventure On 8 Mile

DETROIT (CBS Detroit/AP) - It was on the lam, but a local sheep has successfully escaped slaughter after making a run for it along 8 Mile Road.

The Michigan Humane Society took custody of the fluffy farm animal, who made a surprise visit to an east side Detroit auto shop Tuesday afternoon.

The sheep startled employees at Nortown Collision & Glass Co. when it darted through an open door and ran around for about 20 minutes before workers could corral it.

"All of a sudden I'm looking out, and a big sheep is running through the door," said shop owner Eugene Oleszko told reporters. "He's running in between the cars and knocking things over."

The sheep tried to escape, but ran into a window made of safety glass. Workers caught it and gave it a bucket of water before officials arrived. No damage was reported.

Before it showed up at the shop, the sheep was seen running nearby along 8 Mile Road, the city's well-known northern boundary.

It was not immediately clear who owned the sheep. However, "It did have the tagging and branding that would suggest that the animal is properly licensed and sold to a butcher or slaughterhouse," said Detroit police Sgt. Michael Woody, who has a new nickname around the department in honor of his work on the case: "The Chief of Sheep Police."

Humane Society spokesman Ryan McTigue says the sheep, who seems to be in good shape, has been given a new lease on life.

"It's been transferred to our Rochester Hills Center for Animal care," McTigue told CBS Detroit. "We found a home for her at Sasha Farms. They are also run completely on donations."

McTigue said the sheep is no longer destined for the dinner plate.

"They actually have to sign a contract saying that it's going to be, like, a pet," he said.

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