Australian politician gets in scuffle with kangaroo

AINSLIE, Australia, May 16 (UPI) -- An Australian politician said he came out "second best" in a confrontation with a kangaroo during his morning run in a suburb of the capital.

Shane Rattenbury, municipal services minister of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, said he and the animal both received a shock when they encountered each other during his morning run in Ainslie, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported Thursday.

"I'm not sure who got the bigger shock, me or the kangaroo," Rattenbury said. "He was minding his own business eating some grass, I was minding my own business running.

"Unfortunately the kangaroo jumped up, as they do when they're a bit startled, and took a defensive pose and unfortunately I came out of it second best with some decent cuts down the back of my leg," he said.

Rattenbury said his wounds were treated and he was given a tetanus shot at Canberra Hospital.