This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.
LINCOLN — The family in this story kept their priorities in line: protect their children, try to get the unwelcome animals out of their backyard and capture all of it on video. This time of year the city of Lincoln employs thousands of sheep and goats to cut down the vegetation before fire season. They are contained by temporary electric fencing and the fences already in place that separate homes from grassland. Lincoln resident Scott Russo wanted his young daughters to get a better look at the hundreds of sheep grazing behind their home, so he opened his backyard gate. The sheep took that as an invitation.
At first, Mrs. Russo sounds amused in the video. But as the flock continues to flood into the family’s yard, her tone changes. “Go, now. I’m serious. I’m telling you right now. I’m being serious. Scare them out.” The uninvited guests still weren’t getting the message. Scott walking out through the gate seemed to help. But what really did the trick was the lady of the house jumping on the family’s trampoline with a tambourine. Eventually, all of the sheep made their way back out of the yard, but Scott said his backyard ended up smelling like a barn.