'Terrifying' incidents caught on CCTV leave Aussie residents afraid to leave homes

Locals in a seaside suburb south of Perth have been left terrified after an alleged wave of brutal and prolonged attacks on local wildlife.

Images show the gutters stained red with blood and horrifying CCTV footage documents a kangaroo being kicked by a man and mauled by a dog on the front lawn of a home. A separate video shows another kangaroo being swung by its tail as a dog savages it.

The most recent attack is alleged to have been witnessed by 25-year-old Dawesville resident Erin, who told Yahoo News Australia she stepped out of her residence at 4am on Friday to discover three men using rocks and a dog to maul a kangaroo to death.

“I heard this weird noise,” she said. “I thought they were breaking into my car at first, so I went out there.

“The guys were trying to hold its legs down, and they were just laying into it, hitting it with rocks from building sites, punching it, kicking it, holding back its head so their dog could attack it."

Desperate call to police after attack on kangaroo with weapons

Erin describes the men as hiding their faces in hoodies. She alleges they became aggressive and swore at her when she asked them to stop, so she went back inside. “I was pretty hot up on adrenaline and freaking out,” she said.

Erin says she called the police but they never arrived. She estimates the attack was sustained for between 10 and 15 minutes. "They looked like they were trying to make it as painful as possible," she said.

Western Australia Police said attacks on kangaroos are generally investigated by the RSPCA or department of environment (DBCA). However, it added “If a member of the community sights an armed individual in public, and feel their safety is at risk, they should call police immediately”.

Since the attack on her front lawn, Erin has spent the weekend collating a number of alleged attacks in her area, with other residents providing her with CCTV and images allegedly from other attacks in the Dawesville area.

Residents afraid to leave their homes after attacks

Yahoo understands there have been at least four attacks on kangaroos, with one allegedly dating back to January 2022. DBCA directed queries to the RSCPA, which in turn said it is currently investigating the incidents, reviewing footage, and calling for witnesses.

“RSPCA WA is deeply concerned to hear about any instances of cruelty against vulnerable animals, but especially instances where the abuse is intentional and deliberate–there’s absolutely no excuse for it,” a spokesperson said.

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As the investigation continues, Erin says many of her neighbours are too scared to walk the streets, particularly at night. “My partner and I quite nervous being in our house now, because they've (killed a kangaroo) right outside where I live,” she said.

Erin said she’s only just moved into her house after building it last year and doesn’t want to have to move. “But if something doesn't happen, and we feel that we're not safe in the house, then we might look at moving,” she said.

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