Kangaroo tries to drown dog then attacks owner

A man who was almost drowned by a savage boxing kangaroo, after he dived into a dam to save his dog, says he will never be able to watch Skippy again.

Chris Rickard, 49, of Arthurs Creek in Victoria, was being treated by surgeons at the Austin Hospital last night after he was mauled by the 1.5m kangaroo. He only managed to escape when he elbowed the kangaroo in the throat as it tried to hold him underwater.



He suffered a deep gash across his abdomen, after the kangaroo tried to disembowel him with its hind legs, and a deep cut across his forehead and cuts and scratches across his chest.

Speaking from the hospital's emergency department, Mr Rickard said he was walking his blue heeler Rocky about 400m from his home when they woke the kangaroo , which had been sleeping in long grass near the dam.



When the startled roo ran into the dam Rocky followed barking before it grabbed Rocky with its front paws and held the dog under the water for about 20 seconds, until Mr Rickard arrived.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to watch Skippy quite the same as I used to - it might bring back a couple of bad memories," Mr Rickard said. "I thought I might take a hit or two dragging the dog out from under his grip, but I didn't expect him to actually attack me."