Video: Escaped wallaby captured and returned to owner in Middenmeer

An escaped wallaby was captured Sunday evening in Middenmeer, Noord-Holland. A passerby first spotted the small kangaroo near the local soccer club. The animal then fled when police and an animal ambulance arrived.

The wallaby was later found farther away and shot with a tranquilizer gun, which allowed emergency responders to capture it. The animal ambulance then took the wallaby back to its owner.

Police said the owner had been identified. Officers had warned people in Middenmeer about the escaped animal Sunday afternoon. They also called on the owner to come forward.

Earlier attempts to catch the wallaby had failed, police told Hart van Nederland. Police later announced on Instagram that the animal had been captured and returned to its owner.

Dutch law does not allow getting new wallabies as pets as of July 1, 2024. Individuals who already had a wallaby before the deadline are allowed to keep the animal until it passes.