Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie sheep provide fun for ewe and ewe and ewe

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Residents of Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie might have noticed some new neighbours are acting a little sheepish these days. It’s not their fault they’re wearing unseasonable wool clothes in the summer heat – they’re actual sheep and they can’t help it.

For the second year in a row, the animals have been brought to the neighbourhood as part of an effort to preserve the local environment. They act as eco-friendly lawn mowers, chewing on the long grass, but also help by eating vegetation that poses a threat to public green spaces.

“(They’re here) to demonstrate that in future parts of the project, it’s possible to use sheep against some invasive species in parks,” said shepherd Mathyas Lefebure.

Of course, they also provide some novel entertainment and educational possibilities. Daycamps and daycares have been stopping by to teach the kids about farms and the animals that live on them.

“We’ve trained a team of urban shepherds to be able to answer them and interact with them,” said Lefebure.

One of the lessons is a little bit of science. While those wool sweaters would seem unbearably hot in July, it’s actually a boon – the wool acts as insulation, keeping the heat away from the animals’ skin.

While it’s year two of the project in Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, similar programs have taken root in Europe. Lefebure brought the idea home after a decade spent as a shepherd in France, where he looked after 2,000 animals with only a dog as an assistant.

Compared to that herd, the Montreal flock is relatively small. But Lefebure said he hopes to shepherd in bigger things next year, expanding to more parks and bringing in more sheep.

The sheep will be housed in three different parks this year and will be out and about from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.