Four wallabies escaped on the Gompeldijk in Balen on Sunday afternoon. This happened after part of the fence was damaged. It was the police neighborhood team that informed owner André Dammen. All wallabies could be caught on Sunday evening. “Our domain is a playground for animals.”
“I’m a little too crazy about animals,” André laughs when we visit him at the domain on the Gompeldijk. “Our domain is home to four types of neglected animals, but at home I still have ducks, geese, chickens and other small animals.”
André Dammen relaxes among the animals on his domain. — © Stef Geeraerts
The love for animals has been in the blood of André and his family since childhood. “It started with the adoption of a donkey, but in the meantime my expensive hobby has gotten a bit out of hand. We work together with a shelter in Heusden-Zolder and offer shelter to four different types of animals, including wallabies. We even raised a bottle-fed wallaby who was rejected by his mother. It is a kangaroo that comes from the mountains and can withstand the cold well. In winter they like to sit in the snow.”
Natural enemies
It was local residents and the police community team who informed André of the escape. “It sometimes happens that young people open the fence, after which the other wallabies also venture out,” says André. The animals mainly live at night because that is when they feel safest. In nature they have quite a lot of natural enemies. The biggest enemy is the dog, but our dogs handle it well.”
The domain is home to eight wallabies. — © Stef Geeraerts
The domain offers shelter to various animal species, but overall the care is not too bad. “We feed the animals twice a day. When I work on the domain on Saturday, I really relax. Our domain is truly a playground for the animals. We receive visits every day from many cyclists and walkers from our region. Anyone who enjoys seeing animals is more than welcome. We still have many plans for the domain, but in the future we may no longer be allowed to keep the animals, because it is a nature reserve. That would be a shame,” says Dammen.
Tags: escaped wallabies Balen owner responds bit crazy animals Balen
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