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KELSO, Wash. (KPTV) — A southwest Washington family is back home with their kangaroo after a few stressful weeks trying to get medical attention for their kangaroo Tazz, who underwent surgery for torn tendons and ligaments in his leg.
Tazz is a 2-year-old red kangaroo.
They typically live in Australia, but his home is now with Christine Dobratz and her husband, who live near Kelso.
Dobratz found him at an exotic animal auction in Missouri.
“Being sold as meat I think, and I felt bad the way they were being treated, and out came a young lady with a pouch carrying a pouch and Tazz in her pocket, and I said, he’s not going to be sold for meat and I just kept my hand up and I won the bid,” she said.
That was more than a year and a half ago as Dobratz bought Tazz when he was seven months old.
Now, he’s living his life with the couple, spoiled in fact, with a ramp that leads him and two other kangaroos to their home from the backyard.
But a few weeks ago, everything changed for their family.
“He found a way underneath that ramp and laid down and got his leg stuck in a brace for that ramp and he tried to get out and wiggled it further in,” Dobratz said.
Tazz tore tendons and ligaments in his leg.
No veterinarian she says would do surgery, and some even suggested euthanizing Tazz.
But Oregon State University gave them a chance, and veterinarians performed surgery back on Sept. 11.
“No bone infection today. He’s got his pins in, the pins look real good,” she said.
They weren’t able to fuse everything back together but were able to get enough done to help him.
Dobratz says now doctors are optimistic as Tazz got his cast off on Tuesday.
He will have a wrap on it for months as they continue to monitor his recovery.
The family has a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for medical bills.
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