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Weed-Clearing Sheep Found Without Water In Sacramento

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Goats and sheep are commonly used to clear brush to reduce fire danger, and that was the case behind Cal Expo on Monday.

But footage from CBS13 cameras showed a severe lack of water available for the animals working on Monday and at least one animal struggling in the heat.

Four of the five water troughs available for the animals were empty -- bone-dry -- while the fifth one had a small amount of dirty water.

Temperatures at the time were approaching 100 degrees.

CBS13 cameras found a sheep on its side, clearly in distress. We contacted the county and 10 minutes later, two men showed up on an ATV to pick up the animal and take it away.

Another 10 minutes later, a water truck arrived to fill the troughs. The sheep rushed toward them, clearly in need of water.

The owner of the herd, Steven Gregory with Gregory Livestock Company, says he had a crew that may have been in a different area or taking a lunch. He says it's not normal for the sheep to be left without water like they were on Monday. He said one injury isn't unusual among 3,000 sheep, but crews can get to them relatively quickly.

He says the sheep typically consume the most water during the morning and evening hours when the sheep are eating the most, but that there should have been water in the afternoon when our cameras were there.

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