When you purchase Soay sheep from us, you take possession at our farm, either in person or through a professional transporter. You own your sheep when they leave our driveway. In general, you are responsible for arranging and paying for transportation. However, we have considerable experience with both personal pickup and one of the professionals and we will cooperate fully with you in making whatever arrangements you decide on.
If you live near enough, you may simply pick up your sheep yourself. Many customers who live a full day's drive from us have stayed overnight nearby and picked up their sheep at first light the next morning. We have had people pick up their sheep in the back of a pickup, minivan or even a hatchback. You will need to have the animals confined in a small space for safety, of course, with the ewes and rams in separate containers or sections of a livestock trailer. Ram lambs and yearlings usually are small enough to be shipped in a large airline dog crate, available at your neighborhood pet store. Depending on their size, two or three lambs can travel in a single crate.
If you live within a half day's drive from us, we may be able to meet you halfway with your sheep; there is a mileage charge for this.
If you live outside the Pacific Northwest, or you simply do not have a way to pick up your new Soay sheep yourself, you will find that a number of commercial small animal transport services are available. There is an active Facebook page called "Sheep Transport," where shepherds and truckers can find each other for transporting sheep a few miles or from coast to coast or anywhere in between.