‘Britain’s Loneliest Sheep’, now named Fiona, deserves sanctuary, not to be turned into a spectacle.

She has captured the hearts of people around the UK. Stranded at the base of a cliff for two years, she appears to have survived by sheltering in a cave and grazing on local vegetation.

For the last five days, supporters of Animal Rising have been climbing down the cliff face to visit the ewe in preparation of rescuing her this Sunday and taking her to Tribe Animal Sanctuary, near Glasgow.

The plan, agreed with the local landowner, was for her to live out the rest of her life in the peace and safety of that sanctuary.

This morning, however, that same landowner facilitated a different plan and the poor ewe is now on her way to ‘Dalscone Farm Fun’ petting zoo, on the outskirts of Dumfries, instead.

Whilst we are pleased she is no longer stranded at the base of a cliff, it is completely inappropriate that she would be taken to be made a spectacle of at a petting zoo.

These environments can be stressful for any animal, but especially for one who has lived in isolation for the last two years and will likely now be mobbed by daily visitors owing to her celebrity status. The Scottish SPCA themselves said, in their statement, "the sheep has been living as a feral animal for some time and will be extremely stressed by human contact".

A previous petition calling for her rescue achieved more than 50,000 signatures.

Now we need to rally together once again and ensure she is given the chance to live out the rest of our life safely, and peacefully, in a sanctuary.