Cops can't tie kangaroo down
2006-03-16 16:32
A kangaroo led police in southern Austria on a snow chase on Thursday, after jumping its cage and going exploring through its wintry surroundings.
The marsupial - discovered on a country road about 5km outside the town of St. Veit, in the province of Carinthia - kept hopping away from perplexed police trying to rein it in, local police officer Joerg Fortin said.
In the end, a veterinarian helped capture the animal, using a stun gun.
The kangaroo - which belongs to a breeder in Tirol - was in southern Austria for treatment by Georg Rainer, another local veterinarian.
In a phone interview, Rainer said he was also temporarily looking after a second kangaroo. He was not immediately able to provide details about the breeder.
The year-old kangaroo was being treated for light injuries, he added.
Tourists who visit the alpine country can buy T-shirts with the slogan "There are no kangaroos in Austria" because this European country is sometimes confused with Australia, where the marsupials are native.
Some tourists in Austria have been known to ask where kangaroos can be found.
- SAPA