Florida kangaroo owner fined after marsupial went missing for 3 weeks
Florida kangaroo owner fined after marsupial went missing for 3 weeks
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Video shows wallaby roaming around Kentucky neighborhood
Security cameras captured a wallaby, which is a small kangaroo, hopping around Chavies, Kentucky.
The owner of the kangaroo spotted last year hopping around Pierson, Florida, a city located in the northeastern part of the state, received almost $1,000 in fines and costs during a hearing Wednesday afternoon.
Scott Mitchell pleaded no contest to one count of possession of captive wildlife for commercial or sanctuary purposes without a permit.
Mitchell's attorney, Carlos Vidal-Collazo, said he reached an agreement with the State Attorney's Office to issue his client a $400 fine, as well as have him donate $250 to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Wildlife Alert, and pay approximately $320 for investigation costs.
As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped two other counts Mitchell was facing related to 'violation of Florida administrative codes pertaining to wildlife as personal pets,' according to court documents.
Previous coverage: Escaped kangaroo captured after 3-week search in Volusia County; owner faces citations
Mitchell has 90 days to pay his fines and present proof of the donation. Volusia County Judge Joseph LeDonne accepted the agreement.
Did they find the kangaroo in Florida?
In October 2024, pictures of a loose kangaroo hopping around in Pierson started making the rounds on social media.
Even Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood chimed in, saying the animal had 'escaped due to a bear entering its enclosure." About three weeks later, FWC officials confirmed the kangaroo had been located and returned to his owner.
FWC spokesperson Kristen Turner wrote in an email to The News-Journal that Mitchell was cited for having an expired "Class III license" for the animal. According to court documents, his license expired July 30, 2023, and Mitchell had not renewed it as of Oct. 22, 2024.
According to Turner, who believed the kangaroo's name was Roo, Mitchell failed "to notify FWC/report the escape within 12 hours" of the animal going missing and was cited for 'improper caging.'
According to court documents, Mitchell said he called the main captive wildlife office on the day of the incident, Oct. 17, 'but it was after business hours and no one answered.'
Reached by The News-Journal on Oct. 23 last year, a few days after the incident, Mitchell declined to comment on the matter and told the reporter not to call back.
Are kangaroos legal in Florida?
Yes.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a kangaroo could be classified as a Class III wildlife species, which would require the owner to apply for a permit to keep the animal.
A permit, if granted, lasts two years and there is no required fee, according to the FWC website.
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