Escaped wallaby captured in Dallas neighborhood

March 21 (UPI) -- Authorities in Dallas captured an escaped wallaby seen hopping freely around a neighborhood on the east side of the city.

Tim and Casey Teirnan said they were walking Wednesday morning in the Lakewood neighborhood when they spotted a loose animal nearby.

"We thought it was a dog and then it hopped and it was unmistakable that it was not a dog and I said 'Oh my god, that's a kangaroo!'" Tim Tiernan told KXAS-TV.

The animal, actually a wallaby, a smaller cousin of the kangaroo, was captured by Dallas Animal Service officers.

The wallaby, named Muggsy, turned out to be visiting Dallas from Oklahoma with his owner. The owner was able to reclaim their pet and explained Muggsy had escaped through a hole in a backyard fence.

"Muggsey is just visiting and spends most of his time on a ranch in the country where he has space to explore," Dallas Animal Services said on Facebook.

The agency said wallabies are legal to keep in the city of Dallas with a proper permit.