A kangaroo named Chesney escaped from a petting zoo in rural Wisconsin on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, sparking an unusual search operation involving aerial drones and thermal cameras across the wooded terrain of Juneau County. Despite coming close to recovering the animal Wednesday evening, authorities and volunteers were unable to capture the fleet-footed marsupial, who remained at large as night fell over the small community of Necedah.
According to owner Debbie Marland, who operates Sunshine Farm in Necedah, the ordeal began around 11:15 a.m. when unfamiliar dogs approached Chesney’s enclosure and spooked him. Marland told Lake Geneva News that the dogs were hunting dogs that came onto her property and approached the enclosure aggressively, prompting Chesney to scale his 8-foot enclosure and flee into the surrounding landscape.
The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office quickly issued a public alert asking residents for help locating the wayward kangaroo. Juneau County Undersheriff Zachary Board advised people traveling west on Highway 21 near Necedah to watch for the animal and contact law enforcement if spotted, as WEAU reported.
Catching Chesney, however, proved far more difficult than anyone anticipated. Marland explained that kangaroos can easily travel at 20 miles per hour, making pursuit on foot virtually impossible in the dense, wooded terrain surrounding Necedah. Aerial drone crews equipped with thermal cameras were deployed to assist the search, and drone operator Colton Johnson used equipment capable of dropping coordinates on the kangaroo’s location. The search team came tantalizingly close to recovering Chesney on Wednesday evening but ultimately fell short, according to News 8000.
Adding a touch of whimsy to the saga, a Facebook post from Sunshine Farm noted that Chesney was not wearing his pants when he went missing. The detail quickly caught the public’s attention. Chesney has a brother kangaroo named Kenny who also lives at the farm and remained safely in his enclosure throughout the incident.
Sunshine Farm, located approximately 90 miles northwest of Madison, opened in June of the prior year, according to Marland. The petting zoo operates from approximately mid-May through November. Marland told WKOW that she brings the kangaroos to nursing homes weekly and then treats them to strawberry milkshakes at Culver’s — a routine that underscores just how domesticated and beloved the animals are. Owning a kangaroo is legal in Wisconsin.
Chesney’s escape is hardly the first time a loose kangaroo has made headlines in the United States. In 2025, a kangaroo named Sheila caused a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 85 in Macon County, Alabama, between Tuskegee and Auburn. The incident was reported just before noon on April 29, 2025, and no injuries resulted from the collision, NBC News reported.
Macon County Sheriff André Brunson livestreamed the response to the Alabama incident, capturing the chaotic scene as responders attempted to corral the animal. Sheila was tranquilized twice before her caretaker was able to carry her to an SUV. Both southbound and northbound lanes of Interstate 85 near the 46-mile marker were closed during the recovery operation, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, as Fox News reported.
Sheila’s owner, Patrick Starr, told the Associated Press that his family runs a pumpkin patch and petting zoo, but Sheila is a personal pet. The kangaroo was subsequently treated by the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine following the highway ordeal.
Meanwhile, on September 18, 2024, a pet red kangaroo escaped from its home in Durango, Colorado, and was later spotted hopping through the city’s downtown area. Officers Preskorn, Walters, and Hamer of the Durango Police Department captured the animal and safely returned it to its owner, according to NBC San Diego.
The string of kangaroo escapes highlights the growing presence of exotic animals kept as pets or attractions across the country — and the unique challenges they pose when they break free. For Marland, the priority remains simple: bringing Chesney home safely to Sunshine Farm, where his brother Kenny and his favorite pair of pants await.