Dingo : Kangaroo finds new home in pet store

A five month old joey, abandoned by its mother and kicked out of its pouch, has found himself in a location far removed from his natural environment.

Dingo, a red kangaroo, is a temporary resident of the Exotic Animal House, a pet store in Okotoks, where he’s being cared for by the store’s staff.

Five-month-old Dingo arrived three weeks ago at the store owned by a man who also oversees an exotic animal rescue farm an hour’s drive southeast of Okotoks.

For most of the time, Dingo has the run of an upstairs room where he can bound about “and strengthen his legs,” said store manager Kourtney Paulin.

“He’s really doing well — he sleeps 18 hours a day and we feed him every four hours,” she said.

Dingo sleeps in a dangling pillow case that resembles a mother’s pouch.

On weekdays, Dingo has three scheduled public showings and has become a bit of a sensation in the town just south of Calgary.

“A lot of people are just shocked and amazed — they just love the idea of having pictures taken with him,” said Paulin who describes the 7-kg Dingo as well-behaved.

“As soon as he gets a little older and the testosterone kicks in, it could be a different story.”

Animal welfare inspectors have given the arrangement their blessing.

Once he’s weaned off a kitten-based milk formula, he’ll find a home at the store owner’s rescue ranch and join a group of red kangaroos already there.

The kangaroos there have 2-hectare space along with a heated indoor refuge, said Paulin.

“He’ll be introduced to a mob of kangaroos,” she said.

Agencies/Canadajournal