By John Kiesewetter
Enquirer staff writer

Chuck Geurin, animal control officer for the city of Fairfield, with a male kangaroo found on Carlin Court Wednesday afternoon. The Enquirer/GLENN HARTONG

FAIRFIELD - Rick Schreiber's family is used to seeing deer, foxes, raccoons, skunks - all manner of wild animals in their yard near Harbin Park, the city's large hilltop park.

But never a kangaroo - until one hopped into his backyard at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

"My daughters pointed to something out by the lake, and I said, 'That's just a fox.'

"Then it stood up, and I said, 'That's a kangaroo!' " Schreiber said.

Soon Amanda, 8, and Rebecca, 10, spotted a second kangaroo under an evergreen tree close to their house, which prompted Schreiber to make one of the most unusual 911 emergency calls to city police.

"I've got a small little problem, and you're going to love this problem," he told dispatchers. "You ready? I've got a kangaroo."

Within minutes, Animal Control Officer Chuck Geurin had captured one of the two in the Schreibers' front yard on Carlin Court. A second kangaroo was not found.

WALLABIES AND KANGAROOS

• Wallabies and kangaroos are marsupials found in the wild only in Australia and New Guinea. There are more than 69 species of kangaroo, and they vary in size, from the 1.2-pound rat kangaroo to the 198-pound red kangaroo. • Size is the only real difference between kangaroos and wallabies. Wallabies are generally the smaller species, with none weighing over 25 kilograms (about 55 pounds). • Kangaroos of all sizes have one thing in common - powerful back legs with long feet. They are distinguished from other animals by the way they hop on these strong back legs. Only a few other small mammals, such as hopping mice, do this. • Kangaroos, members of the Macropodidae family, are generally grass and leaf eaters. Sources: Facts on File; Encyclopedia of Mammals; Australian Government/Department of Environment and Heritage

Geurin estimated the kangaroo - possibly a wallaby - was about 3 feet tall and weighed about 35 pounds.

"I just grabbed him by the tail, and picked him up," Geurin said. The animal didn't fight or scratch the officer. "He's definitely been a pet."

Keeping a wallaby in the city does not violate any laws, Geurin said. It was the most unusual catch in 11 years by Geurin, who usually grabs coyotes, raccoons or skunks.

The kangaroo will be kept in the city's animal pen this week.

Fairfield police Lt. Ken Colburn said Wednesday night that a man had called to claim the kangaroo and made contact with Geurin to pick up the animal.

Schreiber said he wasn't sure how much to talk about the unusual discovery until the news media began calling late Wednesday afternoon.

"People might think I'm crazy," he said. "It's not every day you see a kangaroo in your backyard."

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com