WHITE HOUSE, Tenn. — A Tennessee family is mourning the death of a beloved pet after they say a neighbor strangled the kangaroo with his bare hands after alleging that the marsupial charged his wife.
Chris Lea told WSMV that his neighbor strangled Carter, a 5-foot, 60-pound kangaroo, while the couple attempted to coax the kangaroo back into his enclosure.
“(My neighbors) made it sound like (the kangaroos) were out in their property, and they’ll get after dogs and whatnot, but that wasn’t the case. They never left our property,” Lea told the TV station, noting that his neighbor called him as the incident unfolded.
“And he says, ‘I’m strangling the kangaroo now. He grabbed my wife. I’m going to kill him. He’s dangerous. Y’all need to keep your (expletive) animals contained,’” Lea recounted, expressing bewilderment at his neighbor’s actions.
“(The kangaroos) were contained. They were still in my perimeter fence on my property,” Lea added.
According to WTVF, Sumner County Sheriff’s deputies and animal control officers responded to a call where two people were in a battle with a male kangaroo.
The sheriff’s office confirmed that the unidentified neighbors saw the kangaroo outside its normal enclosure but still within Lea’s property.
“To have somebody just trespass after they were told I’m headed home and murder basically a 60-pound kangaroo, and nothing. Nothing. Nothing done about it … I’m really disappointed,” Lea told the TV station.
WSMV confirmed that no charges related to the incident have been filed, but Lea said that he is exploring a potential civil lawsuit.
According to the sheriff’s office, the neighbors received minor scratches in their confrontation with the kangaroo but were treated on the scene, WTVF reported.
©2021 Cox Media Group
