PLATTECITY, Mo. -- You can t argue that on Thanksgiving, the turkey is king, but it s another animal that got people in Missouri talking: a wallaby.
Took me away from Black Friday ads and that says a lot, said Kelly Mand.
People in Platte City are used to seeing wildlife, but not the native New Zealander.
This is really news in a small town like this, said Gina Carr.
Once the shock wore off, folks started to wonder where it came from.
It turns out he only traveled a couple of miles.
Four-year-old Noah belongs to the Wood family.
They were feeding him Thanksgiving morning.
My brother had barely opened the door and he just darted out, said 16-year-old Emily Wood.
He ran into the woods and was later spotted hopping through a yard around 9:30.
The family started their search, and so did police.
This is the first time in 28 years of law enforcement that I've ever confronted a loose wallaby, said Platte City police officer Michael Reilly.
Noah bounced into a fenced-in area at the Hillview Nursing Home.
An employee spotted him and shut the gate.
Word spread fast.
The kids were in the shower and I yelled at them to get out of the shower, said Kelly Mand.
I don't know. I was really freaked out 'cause I didn't know if it would get out or something, said Kelly's son, Andrew.
Noah never broke out and even if he did, his owner says he s a lover, not a fighter.
He likes to lick people. He'll give you hugs even, said Wood.
Finally, the Kansas City Zoo came in to give Noah a temporary home while his legalities are worked out.
Officials said wallabies are legal to own in Missouri, but Platte City has an exotic animal ordinance, which Noah falls under.
