Kangaroo Escapes Petting Zoo, Evades Capture for 3 Days

Chesney the kangaroo scales 8-foot fence, sparking community search in small Wisconsin town

Mar. 29, 2026 at 10:10pm

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A 16-month-old kangaroo named Chesney escaped from a petting zoo in Necedah, Wisconsin last week, scaling an 8-foot fence and evading capture for three days before being safely returned to his enclosure. Chesney's keeper, Debbie Marland, and local residents scoured the area, using heat-seeking drones to track the high-jumping marsupial's movements, until he was finally located and retrieved on Saturday.

Why it matters

The escape of Chesney the kangaroo highlights the challenges petting zoos and small animal farms can face in keeping exotic creatures safely contained, especially when spooked by outside stimuli like stray dogs. The community's efforts to find and return Chesney also demonstrate the local interest and investment in the well-being of the animals at Sunshine Farm, a popular agritourism destination.

The details

Chesney and his roommate Kenny, both named after country music star Kenny Chesney, are two of 25 animals at Sunshine Farm in Necedah. The farm is generally open to visitors on weekends from May to November, allowing guests to interact with the animals. Last Wednesday, Chesney escaped his enclosure around 11:15 am after being spooked by some stray dogs that rushed the area. Debbie Marland, Chesney's keeper, and her friends then spent the next three days searching the 3-mile radius around the farm, chasing reported sightings and even renting heat-seeking drones to help track the wandering kangaroo. On Friday night, Chesney was spotted under a tree but evaded capture. It wasn't until Saturday morning, when Marland returned with Chesney's favorite treats and familiar scents, that the kangaroo finally approached and was safely retrieved by Stacy Brereton, a farm helper.

  • On March 27, 2026, Chesney escaped his enclosure around 11:15 am.
  • Over the next three days, from March 27-29, 2026, Debbie Marland and local residents searched for Chesney.
  • On the evening of March 28, 2026, Chesney was spotted under a tree but evaded capture.
  • On the morning of March 29, 2026, Chesney was finally retrieved and returned to the farm.

The players

Chesney

A 16-month-old kangaroo who escaped from the Sunshine Farm petting zoo in Necedah, Wisconsin.

Debbie Marland

Chesney's keeper and the owner of Sunshine Farm.

Stacy Brereton

A helper at Sunshine Farm who was able to safely retrieve Chesney after he approached the familiar scents and voices.

Kenny

Chesney's roommate kangaroo at Sunshine Farm.

Sunshine Farm

A petting zoo and agritourism destination in Necedah, Wisconsin that is home to Chesney and other animals.

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What they’re saying

“I was putting on about 37,000 steps per day looking for him. I haven't done so much exercise in a very long time.”

— Debbie Marland, Chesney's keeper

“He had a very calm attitude when he walked up, obviously you could tell he wasn't in fight-or-flight mode, so I just went with that. I just stayed calm with him and I just kind of went and sat and let him come to me.”

— Stacy Brereton, Sunshine Farm helper

“I do believe he heard our comforting voices, he smelled the familiar smells of home and it just made him feel safe. I'm just glad he loves me as much as I love him.”

— Stacy Brereton, Sunshine Farm helper

What’s next

To prevent any future escapes, Debbie Marland plans to add a new mesh top over the kangaroo enclosure at Sunshine Farm.

The takeaway

The community's collaborative effort to locate and safely return Chesney the kangaroo highlights the strong local investment in the well-being of the animals at Sunshine Farm, a popular petting zoo destination. However, the incident also underscores the challenges exotic animal facilities can face in keeping even the most agile creatures securely contained, especially when outside factors like stray dogs can spook them.