Where In The World Is Wally The Wallaroo?! How He Was Rescued From A River:

What a wacky way for Wally the wallaroo to wind up in the water.

Wally, an Illinois man’s pet, led an hours-long chase on Wednesday (December 2), when he wriggled free from his harness and escaped from Nathan Drewel’s home.

Wallaroos are “intermediate in size between the kangaroos and the wallabies,” Peru Police Department Chief Doug Bernabei explained in a press release posted to the department’s Facebook page Wednesday.

Wally’s adventure tied in local police, fire and other officials — as well as bystanders — and even captivated hundreds on social media.

"It was normal, just letting him outside," Drewel said to the Herald-News of his 2-year-old wallaroo, whom he owns with a permit. "He had his harness and there was one strap that was too loose on him and he got off it and took off. This was the first time."

“I’ve always been into exotic animals," Drewel added. "I love animals and a wallaroo is something I've always wanted."

Wallaroos can move up to 30 miles per hour, the Herald-News noted, so as Wally made his way through town — near the post office, the American Red Cross, roadways and along the railroad tracks — law enforcement officials radioed updates to one another on the wallaroo’s whereabouts.

Some citizens caught glimpses of the wallaroo hopping through their neighborhoods.

Keeping the chase alive, Wally eventually dodged officials who aimed to catch him and ended up in the Illinois River.

“Without warning Wally jumped into the river and attempted to swim across from the north shore to the south shore,” according to the police department.

Drewel called to Wally from the shore as the Peru River Rescue team raced to the river.

Luckily, as they waited for the rescue team, others arrived to help.

“Through remarkable efforts of so many people Wally was pulled from the frigid temperatures of the Illinois River by a passing fishing boat crew that was navigating the strong and turbulent waters of the Illinois River,” according to the Peru Police Department. “Wally was brought to shore where city employees entered the water to take custody of Wally and then turned him over to Peru police officers who rushed him to a Bridgeview Veterinary Clinic in Peru.”

Bernabei hailed the wallaroo rescue as “one of the better days of 2020!”

Photo: Getty Images