Richfield police capture wandering sheep after nearly mile-long chase
By Frankie McLister
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RICHFIELD, Minnesota (WCCO) — Law enforcement might be used to chasing criminals, but on Tuesday morning, in Richfield, Minnesota, they detained a female sheep.
“I was like, ‘OK, we’re gonna wrangle an animal today.'” said officer Megan Miller of the Richfield Police Department. “My mouth dropped open… I was shocked.”
That jaw-dropping call was at 9:26 a.m. Police were requested to help shepherd a sheep near East 75th Street and 11th Avenue South, and found its owner along the way.
“We pulled up alongside of him and asked, ‘Are you looking for a sheep?” And then one of the neighbors was like, ‘It went that way!’ And we all were like, ‘Sweet,’ and we just took off after the sheep,” said officer Nolan Monahan.
That mission is now a conversation in person and online amongst Richfield residents.
“I was very confused and amused,” said Richfield resident Kris Hoffwomyn, who was heading to work when she saw the sheep. “I was pretty sure it wasn’t a dog. When I took a closer look, it was clearly not a dog.”
Police say farm animals aren’t allowed in Richfield, and the owner claims it was purchased to be harvested. Chickens are allowed with a permit.
Martin Guzman and his wife were home when they saw officers catch the sheep in their backyard, an ending to a pursuit nearly a mile away from where it began.
“It seemed very strange for me the see the police outside,” said Guzman.
“He was out for 15 to 20 minutes. He was fast. He was panting,” Miller said. “We kept saying he was running for his freedom.”
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