Kangaroo Goes Rogue, Tries to Drown Dog

A kangaroo in Melbourne, Australia tried to drown a dog in a dam near the city, and then attacked the dog's owner when he tried to rescue his pet, according to Australian and British news reports.

The roo was holding the dog, Rocky, underwater when Chris Rickard, the 49-year-old owner, dove into the dam to attempt a rescue. The roo turned on the man, leaving deep lacerations on his face and body.

"I thought I might take a hit or two dragging the dog out from under his grip," Rickard told the (UK) Daily Telegraph. "But I didn't expect him to actually attack me. "Then all of a sudden i realized the first hit he gave me had opened up a wide gash above my eye and blinded me. I was flailing away underwater carrying a dog with a kangaroo ripping into me."

Rickard fought back, hitting the kangaroo in the throat, forcing it to let go of Rocky. Rickard was taken to Melbourne's Austin Hospital and treated for deep cuts to his face, eyes and abdomen. Rocky escaped the ordeal without injury.

According to the Telegraph, kangaroo attacks are uncommon but not entirely rare. Last year, a jogger was attacked by a kangaroo in a Melbourne suburb, and earlier this year one of the marsupials invaded a home in the capital city of Canberra during the night.