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Cleopatra McDouall

Cleo, was a 2 day old lamb twin when she came to live with us. We were told that the Damara breed was the oldest of sheep breeds and originated in Egypt. Coincidentally, our daughter Sorcha, to whom the lamb was given, had just completed a term of school studying Egypt. It just seemed natural to call the lamb Cleopatra, a name which fondly became Cleo.For the first 3 weeks of her life, Cleo spent week nights in her box beside my bed, my arm dangling over the edge of the bed into the box to provide the comfort she required to settle. Friday and Saturday nights, Cleo spent with Sorcha, both were told in no uncertain terms that lambs do not get into bed with young girls, both felt that what mama didn't know wouldn't bother her!! As she grew bigger Cleo progressed to the kitchen, and then to the enclosed patio which she shared for a couple of months with 4 kangaroo joeys, and ultimately to the joey run for a while, also with the joeys.

Cleo and the joeys all shared something of an identity crisis, though being an only sheep made Cleo more closely attuned to her family - us. Our days in the garden were days with Cleo by our sides, eating the weeds as we pulled them, nudging under our arms to get a better view of just what we might be up to, and generally supervising everything we did, witness her curiosity with the mini digger my husband John is using! When it came time for our daughter to feed the horses, Cleo would trot off after her, following and often trying to snatch a bite of the horses' meals for herself. Often I would look out the front window and watch Sorcha and Cleo ambling through the front paddock together. When we had visitors or even if I just happened to be wandering around outside, Cleo would come up beside me and insinuate herself under my hand, and that is how we would walk along. Equally, Cleo never missed her chance to be with John or our son Taran, she was simply family.
Cleo never forgot her early months inside the house, making a dash for any door left unguarded and open. Being allowed to stay in the laundry at nights and during the day when she chose, in her last weeks was a great pleasure for her, which was only exceeded when she could sneak into the kitchen where she felt she belonged.

In May this year, when Cleo was about 10 months old, she spent some time with her original flock because we hoped she might have a lamb companion of her own. In September, the friend who gave her to us, enquired if he might take her to the Royal Show. We were uncertain as to whether or not she was pregnant but decided to let her go. She won 2 ribbons, a First, and a Champion Damara Ewe, which our friend proudly presented to our daughter. We knew our girl Cleo was beautiful, perfect in fact, and the judges had simply made it official.

Two operations in 2 days, one to remove plastic twine she had eaten (though she never so much as looked at it in the past) and the second, a ceasarian to birth her lamb which was too firmly stuck to come out as nature intended, were her undoing. The lamb was still born, and our vet suggested that her odd behaviour the day she ate the twine was related to discomfort from the lamb's positioning. She appeared to recover, then nearly 3 weeks later lost her appetite and became dehydrated. I.V. fluids helped, and although she was weak, she began to seem more cheerful, we believed our prayers were going to be answered, that she was going to get better. Then in a matter of seconds she was gone, just 15 minutes after the children got home from school and she had welcomed their noisy hugs.

We are blessed with several pets, friends all, and more blessed as wildlife carers with all the wonderful native creatures that pass through our home, but our hearts' ache immeasurably with the loss of our dear friend Cleo. Her sweet face and affectionate nature were an important part of our days. Pulling the ever present weeds isn't fun now, and while the rose bushes she used to prune are putting on a marvellous diplay right now, I doubt they will be quite as bountiful without her attentions next year.

A sheep may seem to be an unusual companion, but Cleo fulfilled this role with, the energy, affection, devotion and whole hearted willingness of the best cat or dog. She will be forever in our hearts.

Sarah McDouall.