Mystery kangaroo captured in Florida

LACOOCHEE, Fla., June 3 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said they do not know the origins of a kangaroo that was wandering loose for at least one night.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the 5-foot-tall kangaroo was first spotted in Lacoochee, north of Dade City, Saturday night and it was tranquilized, shocked with a Taser and tackled by a bystander before being captured, the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported Monday.

"They'll kick the snot out of you, that's for sure," Deputy Gene Smith said. "But he was nice and he was getting pretty sedated by the time we had our hands on him. At that point was like, 'Okay, you got me. Take me away.' "

Investigators said they do not know where the marsupial came from. John Chatfield, who operates a kangaroo farm near where the animal was found, said the kangaroo is not one of his.

Authorities said they do not yet have a home picked out for the kangaroo if it is not claimed by a permit-holding owner.

"Obviously, we'd try to find a place for it," Florida Fish and Wildlife spokesman Gary Morse said. "We'll have to find the person who has it. Whoever owns it has a record for it and has to have a permit. It's likely to show up in somebody's inventory some place."