Female kangaroo spends up to a week hopping around with arrow shot through her back

A KANGAROO spent up to a week hopping around with an arrow shot through her back while maggots infested her body. Do you know who did it?

A kangaroo suffered horrific injuries when it was shot by a bow. Currumbin Wildlife Sanct

WARNING GRAPHIC: A YOUNG female kangaroo had to be euthanised after she was found with an arrow through her back at Coombabah Wetlands this morning.

Photographs of the eastern grey kangaroo with the arrow sticking out of her back surfaced on social media earlier in the week and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary senior vet Michael Pyne said the animal was incredibly weak when it was captured this morning.

“This poor roo has been out there in the wild for the past three to four days, maybe even a week, with this arrow through her back,” he said.

“She got so weak today that she was able to be captured and brought into the hospital and it was just horrible the sorts of injuries she had internally.

“Her intestines had been torn open and she had maggots through her abdomen, so we had no chance of saving her sadly.”

Dr Pyne said he was always amazed at the strength animals had in the wild and hoped the person who shot the kangaroo had not intended to injure the animal.

“I think this kind of deliberate cruelty to any animal is just so difficult to understand,” he said.

“It has ended up as torture and I hope that whoever did this wasn’t deliberately trying just to wound, but I still just can’t understand the thought processes that go through people who want to kill wildlife that really are so innocent.

“Wildlife are very, very tough and it never ceases to amaze me the types of injuries these animals can come into the hospitals with.”

A kangaroo suffered horrific injuries when it was shot by a bow. She was captured this morning and taken to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital

While nothing could be done to save the kangaroo, Dr Pyne said he encouraged those who knew who shot the animal to come forward.

“I think somebody out there knows who did this and they really should do the right thing and come forward and let us know who did it so it can’t happen again to another animal,” he said.

The incident comes as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie introduced a tough new offence aimed at protecting animals.

“Animals feel fear and pain just like us and inflicting suffering on them is inexcusable,” Mr Bleijie said.

“The new indictable offence of serious animal cruelty will carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and will target people who intentionally inflict severe pain and suffering upon an animal.

RSPCA Queensland CEO Mark Townend welcomed the reforms.

“This fills a gap in what the community expects when it comes to dealing with offenders who torture defenceless animals,” Mr Townend said.

“Our inspectors and staff have seen the horrific aftermath of serious cruelty to animals and a strong punishment and deterrent is needed.