A runaway kangaroo is safely back in custody — but not before putting up a true fight with her captors first.
The Canadian fugitive escaped while being transported between zoos and ended up spending four days in the wild, wild North until the Durham Regional Police Service caught her Monday.
While on "roo-tine" patrol, as the Ontario officers called it, the same DRPS crew who initially received the missing kangaroo report were called and told a marsupial was hopping down the side of a highway in Oshawa, about 40 miles east of Toronto.
The officers were then briefed on the safe capture technique for kangaroos and deployed on their rescue mission, they said Monday.
Once they located her, they followed her until she stopped to take a little break, at which point officers "managed to sneak up behind her and grab her tail." This, they had learned, is the safest way to capture a kangaroo.
"The kangaroo gave up and surrendered peacefully to police officers," DRPS said. "She then received a ride in one of our K9 kennels back to the zoo where she is being examined."
But in the scuffle, the little 'roo left a mark on the officers, one literally and figuratively. Staff Sgt. Chris Boileau told reporters Monday an officer was struck in the face during the apprehension, but he's doing fine.
But she also left a mark on their hearts — and the hearts of the public.
Over the last three days the escaped kangaroo has hopped into the hearts of many - all hoping for her safe return. Due to the high level of public interest @DRPS is releasing the body-worn camera footage.
Full story: https://t.co/S7KilWUCXb pic.twitter.com/TAGsHfHpoJ
— Durham Regional Police (@DRPS) December 5, 2023
DRPS said Tuesday the level of public interest in their outlaw prompted them to release bodycam footage of the interaction. Officers aren't required to activate their cameras for kangaroo cases, which they said is now under "roo-view," but an apparent nudge from the animal on an officer inadvertently triggered it, catching part of the incident on video.
Plus, because the marsupial took a ride in their K9 vehicle, DRPS has decided to make her an honorary member of its K9 unit. Although the zoo doesn't have a name for her, this new designation means they have given her an unofficial name, too: 'Roo Emy May, a combination of the two officers who rescued her.
Now as 'Roo Emmy May continues her journey to the Quebec zoo after a period of rest, maybe she'll have a few more regular visitors to look forward to when she really begins her stay.
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