Much More than Just Wool: What Makes Sheep Special

Sheep are far more than just woolly landscape gardeners. They are highly social, sensitive, and intelligent animals that deserve our respect and protection. Here are ten surprising facts about these often underestimated animals:

They are among the first domesticated animals in human history and are considered particularly gentle. A male sheep is known as a ram, while a female sheep is called a ewe. Sheep form friendships, grieve for deceased herd members, and rarely engage in fights. Sheep are capable of making conscious decisions. Their brain size and structure are similar to that of some primate species. With their horizontal pupils and sideways-facing eyes, they have an extremely wide field of vision, ideal for prey animals. They sleep only in short phases of about 30 minutes and are sensitive to changes in the weather. Studies show that sheep can experience emotions such as fear, anger, despair, boredom, disgust, and happiness. They can recognise faces and remember at least 50 sheep and ten people for years. Lambs stand up just minutes after birth and start nursing - a good sign is the typical tail wagging. Sheep are herbivores, feeding on grass, herbs, fresh twigs, seeds, hay, roots, and tubers.

Background:

Lamb Mutilation (Mulesing) Eighty percent of the fine Merino wool for the global fashion market comes from Australia - the only country in the world where lamb mutilation is legal and widely practiced. In this process, large strips of skin are removed from the lambs’ hindquarters when they are between two and twelve weeks old, without adequate pain relief. This procedure causes massive pain, fear, and stress. Mulesing is used as a quick and cost-effective method to prevent flystrike, even though pain-free alternatives exist.

"Unfortunately, animal suffering is often hidden behind clothing, something consumers are usually unaware of. Therefore, it's worth checking a fashion company's animal welfare guidelines and the label on the garment," recommends Leony Malthaner, Campaigner at FOUR PAWS Switzerland. There are certification labels for many materials of animal origin that at least reliably guarantee a minimum standard of animal welfare. "Anyone set on buying a garment made from animal fibres should at the very least look for an animal welfare label."

To protect lambs in the wool industry, FOUR PAWS has also launched an international petition calling for an end to the cruel practice of lamb mutilation.

Media Contact:
Oliver Loga
Press Manager Switzerland
FOUR PAWS - Foundation for Animal Welfare
Altstetterstrasse 124
8048 Zurich
Tel. +41 43 311 80 90
presse@vier-pfoten.ch
www.vier-pfoten.ch

Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher. Image rights: VIER PFOTEN / Photographer: Bente Stachowske