[Image: Farmsantuarysa / Instagram]
Farm Sanctuary SA is offering a R1.2 million reward for information leading to the safe return of their beloved painting sheep, Baanksy, who disappeared on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
The sanctuary realised Baanksy, whose paintings sell all over the world, was missing when he failed to arrive at his studio to work on a commission for someone from the United Kingdom.
Founder and Director of the farm, Joanne Lefson, said: “A family visiting from the UK had booked a commission from Baanksy on 2 February, but he didn’t arrive at his art studio.
“We went looking for him and filed a police report. We don’t have any leads to go on. We had a smaller reward last week but now we have upped it to R1.2 million because we want clarification on what happened.
“He was either stolen but there were no signs of a break-in, or out somewhere roaming the Winelands. We don’t know why this particular sheep went missing when we have 10 of them.”
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Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said they were investigating a stock theft case, but with an average Baanksy painting selling for R35,000, the police should consider this a kidnapping.
“He watched another animal paint and learned like that and that is why he is so special. It’s not easy to replace a painting sheep. The money is a lot but the value of the artwork that he’s made, it is worth it.”
Baanksy is the protégé of the famous Pigcasso, a painting pig that used to reside at Farm Sanctuary SA a few years ago.
‘As a vulnerable lamb, Baanksy was kept near Pigcasso’s art studio, and he would often watch Pigcasso paint.’
The huge reward Farm Sanctuary SA is offering for the sheep does come on the condition that Baanksy is returned alive to the sanctuary, and that half of the hero’s reward is donated to a charity of their choice. Sounds fair.
Baanksy is 2.5 years old, has white fleece, and was last seen with paint on his hooves. Basically a good-looking sheep.
Anyone with information is urged to email: director@farmsanctuarysa.org
