Sheep, as a species, are precocial animals. Unlike humans—who are fully dependent on others at birth for survival—most newborn lambs can stand on their feet and walk on their own shortly after they are born.

But Otto was different. As a “bummer lamb,” he couldn’t nurse from his mom; in fact, he couldn’t even open his mouth on his own. Otto also had trouble walking and lacked basic directional awareness. If Otto walked himself into a corner, for example, he would get stuck—not realizing that he could simply turn around.

In many cases, sheep who can’t follow the flock get left behind. Commercial operations, like the one where Otto was born, will rarely put in the time to help those with special needs. The Targhee/Finn cross was being raised for meat and would have gone to slaughter at just six to eight months old. Few farmers deem it worthwhile to invest in animals they plan to slaughter—from a financial perspective, it is more efficient to “replace” lambs like Otto than to spend money on sheep that will not garner profit. Many are culled or simply left to die.

Instead, a nearby landowner brought Otto home with her. She and her team take in “bummer lambs” each year—providing extensive rehabilitation and care so they can live out the rest of their lives in the flock.

Their first goal was teaching Otto how to take a bottle. At the time, he did not know how to eat without aid; his guardians had to help Otto open his mouth and latch onto the bottle so that he could suckle. Thankfully, once that happened, Otto’s instincts kicked in and he was able to take in some much-needed nourishment. Still, he needed frequent and extensive supervision to ensure he continued to ingest his food properly.

Otto’s progress remained slow. It took him a long time to eat just a small amount, and the little lamb struggled to put on weight. Additionally, his development lagged far behind the other lambs—from his feeding delays to struggles with basic coordination. After exploring their options, his guardians realized Otto needed more than they could offer. Knowing our experience and our access to specialized veterinary care, they asked if Otto could come to Farm Sanctuary.

Our rescue team drove from California to Utah to retrieve our newest resident. Then, it was another 10 hour ride to bring Otto directly to a large animal hospital. Upon thorough examination, his doctors diagnosed him with neurological damage—likely permanent. Still, they believed he could have a good life under regular, individualized care.

Back home at our Acton Sanctuary, we began Otto on an extensive regimen to help him meet his nutritional needs. Our caregivers spend one-on-one time with Otto—up to 30 minutes stretches four or five times per day—to guide food and water into his mouth. Now, he gets hay along with water/pellet mashes to provide extra calories and prevent dehydration; he no longer needs a bottle, as milk is ineffective once lambs begin to grow. He is chewing his cud—a sign of proper digestion—and is slowly beginning to put on weight.

Per his doctors’ recommendations, we also introduced Otto to Squid: another recently rescued lamb with special healthcare needs. While we typically quarantine incoming animals before introducing them to others, both boys arrived with Coccidia—an intestinal parasite—and could therefore be treated together. In addition, the boys are roughly the same age and friendship is crucial in their mental development.

As Squid can eat and drink on his own, veterinarians hoped Otto might mimic those behaviors and learn to do the same. It’s working: With Squid as a mentor—and with lots of patience and specialized care from our caregivers—Otto is learning to drink by himself. At first, he simply copied what he thought his friend was doing—placing his head in their water bucket, but without drinking any. Through repeated observation and help from our caregivers, Otto learned to drink once the water touched his mouth! He still needs our guidance much of the time, along with continued assistance while eating, but we are so proud of his progress.

We remain in close contact with Otto’s specialists to better understand his long-term care needs. His eating and other neurological delays may stay with Otto for the rest of his life. For now, however, he’s a bright and happy boy who loves his sheep and human friends—and we are devoted to helping him enjoy the life he has come to love.