Volunteer wildlife rescuer Jason Cichocki has been helping animals out of tight spots for over 10 years, but even he was surprised by a callout he received Monday morning.
Mr Cichocki, who runs Surfcoast Wildlife Rescue group in addition to his own automotive business, had been called to assist with the case of a wallaby stuck on the roof of a Pakington Street business.
“The call had come from West End Real Estate in Pakington Street, where a wallaby had hopped down their driveway,” Mr Cichocki said.
“One of their employees noticed him and shut the gate to enclose him in their car park.
“But they have a two-storey building with a stairwell that leads from the car park up to the second floor, so he hopped up there and found himself out on the roof.
“I’ve rescued thousands of kangaroos and wallabies but I’ve never, ever had a call to rescue a wallaby from the roof of a shop in Pakington Street.”
Wildlife Victoria rescuer Tasha Quirk was first on the scene, and after a quick assessment she realised Mr Cichocki would be needed to tranquilise the animal.
By the time Mr Cichocki arrived, Ms Quirk had coaxed the wallaby off the roof and back down the stairwell.
“She stood at the top of the stairwell to keep him off the roof until I got there, then I tranquilised him and took him out to my property in Wensleydale to wake up,” Mr Cichocki said.
“We monitored him until he woke up. My property backs onto the Otway State Forest, so he soon disappeared into the forest.
“He was on the roof of a building in Pakington Street in the morning, and then he was in the lovely, lush green grass of the Otways in the afternoon.”
Mr Cichocki’s Surfcoast Wildlife Rescue group is made up of self-funded volunteers who give their time and money to rescue animals from Lara to Apollo Bay.
To donate to Surfcoast Wildlife Rescue or would like to get involved, call Jason Cichocki on 0422-048 557.
