Wallaby on the loose in Pennsylvania town

FLEETWOOD, Pa., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Pennsylvania humane officers are searching for a loose wallaby -- a short relative of the kangaroo -- spotted by residents of Fleetwood, Pa.

Joni Lavigna, chief humane police officer with the Berks County Humane Society, said the animal was first spotted Saturday and has been seen hopping around the area several times since, the Reading (Pa.) Eagle reported Wednesday.

Fleetwood Patrolman Joel Gallo said the department believes the wallaby was not reported missing because the owner likely did not have a state Department of Agriculture permit to keep the exotic pet.

"Nobody is going to call and say 'I lost my illegal wallaby,'" he said.

Lavigna said the Australian animals can be imported by private owners and sometimes even sold over the Internet to people who consider the small mammals cute. She said the sighted animal was confirmed to be a wallaby when a resident caught it on grainy videotape.

Lavigna said humane officers were using a net borrowed from the Lehigh Valley Zoo in Schnecksville to try to nab the creature.

"We're not experts on wallabies, but we're trying our best to capture it safely," Lavigna said.