Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary welcomes safe return of dingo Cletus following Cherry Gardens bushfire evacuation

When Cletus the hand-raised dingo leapt from a car during his wildlife sanctuary’s fire evacuation on Sunday, his handler feared the worst.

A hand-raised dingo, who jumped out of a moving vehicle during Sunday’s fire evacuation, has been returned to his handler at Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary.

Dingo Cletus was found howling on a property in Wistow on Monday morning, almost 12 hours after jumping out of his handler’s ute on Long Valley Road, between Wistow and Strathalbyn.

Wildlife staff, along with animals, were forced to evacuate the Mylor sanctuary on Sunday, with the Cherry Garden bushfire posing a serious threat to local properties.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary owner Narelle MacPherson said her team was overjoyed at the safe return of Cletus.

Dingo Cletus has been found safe and well after escaping from a moving vehicle on Sunday.

Cletus with handler Claire moments after their reunion.

“We’ve been crying all morning and are so happy he’s back home. It’s great news,” she said.

“A property owner found him on their property in Wistow crying and he’s got a bit of an injured leg.

“But our keeper Claire and (daughter) Britt went down there and picked him up and he’s on his way to the vet now.”

Ms MacPherson said while most of the sanctuary’s animals were crate trained, Sunday’s fire proved too much to handle for the young dingo.

“We train them to get into crates on command but in situations like this, they are just anxious and scared,” she said.

“People were also panicking, so they couldn’t get him into a crate and instead put him into an enclosed ute with a canopy.

“Unfortunately he managed to get the window open and get out.”

Cletus has now been taken to Aldgate vets to attend to any injuries.

He will re-join the sanctuary later on Monday, pending fire restrictions.

“At the moment it seems that the fires have settled … so now it’s just wait and see as we don’t want to rush back and then have to leave again,” Ms MacPherson said.

“But hopefully we can head back with the animals today, if not tomorrow – that would be good.”