Kangaroo captured roaming Florida apartment complex

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LOS ANGELES, Feb 10, (Agencies): A kangaroo was discovered hopping around a Tampa, Florida apartment complex on Thursday morning, as reported in a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). Responding to a confused resident’s call about the animal in the complex’s pool area, the 7-year-old kangaroo, appropriately named Hopper, was later removed from the premises. The audio of the emergency call was subsequently released by the authorities.

During the 911 call, the dispatcher asked, “911, do you need police, fire, or medical?” The perplexed caller, uncertain about the situation, requested police assistance, stating, “There’s a kangaroo in my apartment complex.”

In the police audio, the dispatcher informed other emergency responders that Hopper is a “kind of a large kangaroo” and that they had successfully confined him to the pool gated area.

The HCSO shared on social media that the Agriculture Unit assisted in the rescue mission, reuniting Hopper with his owners. The HCSO K-9 and aviation units worked to keep Hopper within the enclosed pool area for later transport into a trailer. Once in HCSO possession, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission tracked down the owners.

An HCSO spokesperson mentioned that deputies had fed and cared for the kangaroo, and the owners were on their way to retrieve Hopper. Although the spokesperson did not provide the owners’ names, it was confirmed that they possessed the correct paperwork and permits to own up to two kangaroos.

In Florida, the state’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission mandates civilians who wish to own a kangaroo as a personal pet to obtain a permit. This permit allows owners to house the kangaroo at a specific address, take it to the vet, and travel with it.

While the HCSO confirmed Hopper’s safe return, details regarding how the kangaroo initially escaped from the home were not disclosed.

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