Payson Roundup

Photo courtesy of Kathy Paczkowski

A Barbados sheep has been running loose and evading capture for several weeks.

Despite a gallant effort by police, animal control and even residents, a mysterious creature described as part goat, sheep and llama has evaded capture for the last three weeks.

Residents have spotted the red-coated beast all over town, from shopping centers, to the police station to The Rim Club.

Payson Police Lt. Don Garvin was first assigned to the case Dec. 25 when Animal Control Officer Don Tanner was on vacation.

Garvin said he did all he could think of to capture the thing, even chasing it around the police department parking lot before it ran off into the woods.

Frustrated but not defeated, Garvin continued to follow up on calls reporting the animal until Tanner returned.

Tanner said the “thing” is really a Barbados sheep with Houdini-like evasion skills.

Each time the sheep is ensnared, it remarkably manages to break free by either running away or using a set of acrobatic like moves. Recently, it jumped straight up over a five-foot retaining wall when cornered.

Last week, Tanner continued to receive calls about the sheep, but he was unable to make contact.