Meet the Totally Legal Urban Sheep of Oakland
Dan Gentile, SFGATE
Dec. 9, 2020 Updated: Dec. 9, 2020 11:49 a.m.
Compared to goats, the organizers say the sheep are actually much more docile and less likely to escape or make trouble.
Blair Heagerty / SFGATE
The trick to herding a flock of sheep through the streets of West Oakland is that if you get Meatball to go, they'll all go.
Meatball is the father in a small flock of four that's huddling underneath a trampoline in an empty Oakland lot. On a sunny Sunday morning, a group of amateur shepherds struggles to lure them into a makeshift mobile pen to transport them to eat the overgrown grass in another yard. About 10 minutes into the operation, Halimah Rasheed walks over from next door. At night, she feeds the animals vegetable scraps to supplement their diet of grass, so the animals quickly notice her arrival. She offers Meatball a carrot, acting as the bait.
A minute later, the flock trots out of the yard and huddles into the pen, which is basically a fence mounted on wheels. Confined within the pen, they start marching a mile down the middle of the street at a steady pace. In addition to Meatball, who gets his name from, let's just say his "father figure," there's Bo Derrick (the mom, who is pregnant), Valentino (the uncle) and a baby named Lambo. Each has their own personality.
"Valentino is really shy and timid, he doesn't really understand herd mentality very well. Meatball, he's like the grumpy old man," says Jamie Trahan, one of the organizers. "Sometimes he'll ram them whenever he wants food, he's the more dominant one. Bo can also be a little dominant, she's actually the leader of the pack. And Lambo, she's the baby. She's playful. Her and Valentino try to jump over things and chase each other."
For the past year, these four black sheep have been helping clear out overgrown lots in Oakland as part of a project that's been dubbed Totally Legal Urban Sheep, or just Oakland Sheep for short. It's organized via a text message group that welcomes anyone with an interest in urban farming, animal husbandry or just unusual activities. The group currently counts about 40 members. So far, these living lawnmowers have cleaned up almost 10 lots, each taking anywhere from one to two weeks. Similar services exist that use goats, animals which are less discerning with their diet, but those companies charge hundreds of dollars. TLUS offers their animals free of charge.
"It tells kids and neighbors that there's a way to take care of yards without using pesticides. My neighbors had a yard that's totally overgrown, but they don't have the time or money," says Mel Lidman, one of the core group members. "It's reclaiming underused land, helping people take back their lawns and public places."
Today's destination is a small yard overflowing with weeds behind a pair of duplexes recently purchased by two of the primary shepherds. Although the sheep trot at a decent pace, it's still a relatively slow-moving spectacle that takes about an hour and draws stares from everyone it passes. Kids run out of their houses to pet the animals and drivers stop their cars to ask questions (as well as make jokes about gentrification). One stranger remarks that you know you live in an awesome neighborhood when it's either horses or sheep walking down the street.
"It's inviting to everyone in the neighborhood," says Dan Gottwald, a co-organizer who lives next door to where today's journey began. "I've met more people with them than I ever would have if they weren't there."
Councilmember-elect Carroll Fife greets the herd.
Coincidentally, along today's migration they run into recently elected District 3 Councilmember-elect Carroll Fife, who gets out of her car to chat and feed the sheep a carrot.
"I'm pro-sheep," she says. "It's natural, I love it, it's amazing."
Unfortunately, not everyone is as enthusiastic. The city's municipal code 6.04.290 outlaws sheep on "apartment houses," hotels or in a business district, but doesn't make a ruling about private homes, so it seems like they are indeed totally legal. However, neighbors have called in complaints, presumably under the 6.04.310 statute about animals constituting a public nuisance. One of the organizers, Jamie Trahan, thinks the aversion comes down to a lack of knowledge about the animals.
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"Sometimes people are concerned because they don't know how to take care of sheep. So they may think that we need to be doing more for them than we are, but they're very low-maintenance. So, they call the city. There needs to be a sheep awareness campaign, basically," says Trahan.
The team of shepherds and volunteers at Oakland Sheep pose with their flock.
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If today's walk is any indication, people are very curious to learn more. Depending on the breed, sheep can weigh anywhere from 100 to 300 pounds, but the organizers haven't gone through the trouble of herding them onto a scale. The wool does need to be sheared. TLUS tried to do it themselves, but have since delegated the responsibility to a professional. Those cute googly eyes actually allow the animals to see almost 360 degrees around them, and they can remember the faces of up to 50 other sheep for two years, but become a little confused when their friends get new haircuts (you can find a few more sheep facts here).
Compared to goats, the organizers say the sheep are actually much more docile and less likely to escape or make trouble (because they're not as smart). They do let out a stereotypical "bahhhh" on occasion, but for the most part they kept relatively quiet during the trek. However, there is one downside to the animals, which is apparent even after being around them for the hour-long walk: the smell.
"It's a nice earthy perfume," says Gottwald. "I always know when I'm close to home."
Visit OaklandSheep.org to contact the shepherds about borrowing Meatball, Bo Derrick, Valentino and Lambo to clear out your yard.
Amanda Bittaker happily greets one of the sheep before assisting in their transport.
Blair Heagerty / SFGATEShow MoreShow Less
Dan Gottwald carries celery stalks and carrots for the sheep as he follows the herd through the streets of Oakland.
The sheep are herded into a mobile pen for transport.
Erica Sawyer, right, leads her sheep to their new location with her fellow shepherds in Oakland, Dec. 6, 2020.
Meatball, Bo Derrick, Valentino and Lambo arrive at their new home.
Meatball scopes out his new yard in Oakland, Dec. 6, 2020.
Compared to goats, the organizers say the sheep are actually much more docile and less likely to escape or make trouble (because they're not as smart).
Dan Gentile
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Dan Gentile is the culture editor at SFGATE. He moved to San Francisco from Austin, TX where he worked as a vinyl DJ and freelance writer covering food and music. His writing has been featured in Texas Monthly, American Way, Rolling Stone, Roads & Kingdoms, VICE, Thrillist and more.