Startled roo tries to drown man, dog

news ^ | November 23, 2009

[JoeProBono]

A VICTORIAN man was almost drowned by a kangaroo after he dived into his farm dam to save his pet dog.

Chris Rickard, 49, of Arthurs Creek, is being assessed by Austin Hospital surgeons after being mauled by the 1.5m roo at 9am (AEDT).

He only managed to end the attack when he elbowed the kangaroo in the throat as it tried to hold him under water, The Herald Sun reported.

By then he had already suffered a deep gash across his abdomen as the kangaroo tried to disembowel him with its hind legs, as well as a deep gash across his forehead and further cuts and scratches across his chest.

Speaking from the hospital's emergency department, Mr Rickard said he was walking his blue heeler dog Rocky at the back of his property about 400m from his home when they woke the kangaroo which had been sleeping in long grass near the dam.

The startled roo jumped into the dam, and Rocky followed. The roo then grabbed the dog with its front paws and held it under water for about 20 seconds until Mr Rickard arrived.

"I thought I might take a hit or two dragging the dog out from under his grip, but I didn't expect him to actually attack me,'' Mr Rickard said.

"I was stuck having to hold onto the dog with both hands because it was half drowned and I couldn't really see anything because the kangaroo just ripped into me.

"It was a shock at the start because it was a kangaroo, about 5ft high, they don't go around killing people.

[JoeProBono]

Chris Rickard, pictured with his partner Liz, was badly injured by a roo that went on the attack / Mark Smith

[2banana]

It kinda looks like a swatzsticker on his chest

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[Secret Agent Man]

I thought more like “tic-tac-toe”

[JoeProBono]

[Secret Agent Man]

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water again...

I wouldn’t want to have to go up against one. I know that guy sure didn’t want to.

[T Minus Four]

Kanga is deeply shocked and saddened :-(

[mywholebodyisaweapon]

(Slow burn . . .) “I hate kangaroo Nazis!” (with apologies to John Belushi)

[JoeProBono]

[dog breath]

If it was a gator or a crocodile it would of been even uglier, he wouldn't have been able to of elbowed it in the throat, for his elbow would be in the crocodile's belly.

[JoeProBono]

Blue Heeler Vrs Mako

[Hot Tabasco]

The roo then grabbed the dog with its front paws and held it under water

Coons will resort to that trick on dogs if they're forced into water when being hunted....

[MarkL]

This is typically how roos defend themselves against wild (and domestic) dogs. They're extremely strong swimmers, and if they can get the dog to follow them into the water, they'll drown them, or gut them with the claws on their hind legs.

Mark

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[Daffynition]