Cole Williams, a 19-year-old man in Littlestown, was in the middle of an investigation by the Game Commission due to a suspicious post made online. He was caught in a legal issue after state game wardens seized a kangaroo in Adams County. Officials heard about the captive animal via a tip where he was attempting to the sell the six-month-old kangaroo on social media.
Facebook is the last place to draw attention to the illegal importation of a wild animal. Rather than earning money from the sale of the animal, he was subject to fines after pleading guilty to “three accounts of unlawful importation of wildlife and two summary counts of failing to acquire required permits.” A person reported the post to the state’s Games Commission, who began investigating the case.
Initially, Williams allegedly denied having the six-month-old kangaroo in his possession when interviewed by game wardens. The wardens applied and received a search warrant for Williams’ home. Upon inspection, they discovered the animal hidden in a bedroom closet.
The kangaroo was seized and taken to a facility for proper care.
In the state of Pennsylvania, keeping, importing, and selling exotic wildlife species without adequate permits is illegal. These laws are in place to protect the public and wildlife species from the dangers and harm caused by improper handling.
This kangaroo is clearly not for sale. The animal is in safe hands now after a sketchy importation.