It’s a happy ending for Kiah the kangaroo. The missing kangaroo was rescued by Yates County Sheriff’s office near Keuka Lake and will be returned to its owners in Scottsville, New York.
The 2-foot-tall female baby kangaroo was found unharmed, but was cold and scared. According to a report in the Democrat & Chronicle, kangaroos need to be in a warm pouch for the first 8 months of their lives in order to fully develop.
Finger Lakes Film Co. posted a video of the rescue. Local police officers and a group of volunteers surrounded the kangaroo in an abandoned vineyard, and Deputy Sheriff Scott Walker pounced on her with a blanket.
According to the Yates County Sheriff’s office, they received an unusual report of a missing kangaroo escaping its handler near Williams Hill Road and Coates Road. The call led to an episode that most police don’t encounter in their career – a search for a kangaroo. It was an all-out team effort.
The New York State Police and Department of Environmental Conservation assisted in the search for the marsupial, in addition to local law enforcement, Stokoe Farms owners and staff, and volunteers.
After the rescue, Stokoe Farms posted on Facebook to express their gratitude. The post read, “BABY ROO has been CAUGHT! We are so very blessed with the amazing help the community of Penn Yann has shown us! Baby Roo is in the owner’s arms, being held very tightly! Thank you, thank you, thank you all!”
The kangaroo belongs to Dave and Suzanne Stokoe of Stokoe Farms. The farm is known for its Christmas trees and pumpkin patch, and owns several kangaroos.