Owner sombre after thieves steal pregnant ewe Meg from her Rotorua paddock

Keryn Young hand-reared Meg, who she says was more than just a sheep to her.
Keryn Young hand-reared Meg, who she says was more than just a sheep to her. Photo credit: Keryn Young / Supplied

The owner of a heavily pregnant ewe stolen from a Rotorua paddock over the weekend thinks her beloved pet is destined to become someone's mutton roast.

Keryn Young's sheep Meg - who she's hand-reared since birth - is believed to have been taken from her property on Dansey Rd, between Ngongotahā and Mamaku, during a storm on Friday night.

She only discovered Meg had disappeared on Saturday morning, when she did a head count and noticed there was one too few sheep in her flock.

After some looking around Young found wool on the top wire of a fence - a surefire sign Meg had been stolen, rather than just escaped.

"Sheep aren't tall enough to put wool on the top wire. [Somebody] dragged her over," Young told Newshub.

"I'm assuming they saw an easy target. When it's raining their wool gets really heavy, and she was pregnant and huge and it would've been at night so she would've been sleeping.

"I'm assuming they are going to eat her - logically that's what probably will happen."

Meg as a lamb with her sister Mel.
Meg as a lamb with her sister Mel. Photo credit: Keryn Young / Supplied

As for whether Meg will be returned? Young is hopeful but doesn't think it's very likely.

She says it was good there was no blood on the ground and says the best-case scenario now is if the thieves had stolen Meg with the intention of adding her offspring to their own flock.

"It's just a sheep to them, but to me it's a pet. No one would come and eat your dog, right?" she said. "Some people think sheep are dumb, but if you hand-rear a sheep they're kind of your friend for life."

A police spokesperson confirmed they had received a complaint about the theft. They encouraged anyone with information to get in touch with Police by calling 105 and quoting file number 210620/7551.

Young says Meg can be recognised by her fluffy face and large, pregnant body.

Meg the sheep.
Meg the sheep. Photo credit: Keryn Young / Supplied

Livestock rustling is a huge problem for farming communities in New Zealand, with a 2018 Federated Farmers survey indicating it was costing the industry an estimated $120 million annually.

In 2019, the Government attempted a crackdown on rustling by amending the Crimes Act 1961. Under the new legislation, those found guilty of the theft of livestock face a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment or hefty fines.