Late last month, rangers patrolling a swath of land in Victoria, Australia, noticed a flock of sheep wandering the hilly landscape.
The sheep formerly lived on a farm, but had since been released into the surrounding area. Now, they endured the harsh landscape alone, trying to survive.
Surveying the scene, the rangers saw something heartbreaking. One of the sheep had collapsed among a thicket of cacti, her heavy, overgrown fleece weighing her down. Exposed to the elements, the sheep succumbed to flies, who were now exacerbating a wound on her right flank.
Edgar’s Mission
Rangers weren’t sure how long she’d been collapsed, but they could tell she wouldn’t make it on her own. In need of backup, they called local animal experts.
Manfred Zabinskas, of Five Freedoms Animal Rescue, soon arrived and safely sedated the sheep. From there, team members from Edgar’s Mission examined the sheep’s injuries and coordinated her transfer back to their farm sanctuary.
Given her immediate health concerns, rescuers focused on this sheep rather than the whole flock. But they didn’t forget about the others. Edgar’s Mission team members remain in contact with the local council and are collaborating on next steps for their rescue.
Rescuers named the injured sheep Mellow in honor of her understated yet resilient spirit.
“It suited her perfectly, for though her body bore pain, her face held a quiet and undeniable gentleness, the kind that even the harshest landscape could not tamper with,” Edgar’s Mission wrote in a Facebook post.
Back at the sanctuary, rescuers sheared Mellow’s matted fleece and began treating the wound on her side.
Free from the dirty coat that once weighed her down, Mellow completely transformed.
Edgar’s Mission
“Today, Mellow is almost unrecognisable, save for her beautiful face,” Edgar’s Mission wrote.
Eventually, team members moved Mellow to a special-needs paddock, where she could interact with other rescue sheep.
Though Mellow is still a bit wary of meeting new friends, rescuers are confident that, someday soon, the sweet sheep will blossom into her new life.
“Trust will take time,” Edgar’s Mission wrote. “But among gentle hands, she is learning that she is safe, and in time, her heart will grow.”
To help other animals like Mellow, you can donate to Edgar’s Mission. 
Rescuer Feels ‘Sick’ When She Sees Sheep Collapsed — Then She Realizes The Truth“[If] you listened softly, you would have heard our hearts crack.”