Pet kangaroo on the loose in Tennessee

April 6 (UPI) -- A Tennessee family is asking for the public's help to find their unusual runaway pet -- a kangaroo.

Todd and Stacey Watson of Sparta said their 9-month-old kangaroo, Beau, escaped from their home through a door that had been left open.

Todd Watson put out a plea for help on social media, asking the public to report any sightings but not attempt to catch Beau themselves as the marsupial could become spooked and flee the area.

"I wouldn't say it's actually like losing a child but it's pretty close," Todd Watson told WYMT-TV.

The couple bought Beau from an exotic pet sale in Cookeville and they said the pet had spent most of his life indoors at their home.

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency does not require permits for residents to own kangaroos.