Search stood down for missing Wallace the Wallaby after escape from enclosure

The search for a missing wallaby that escaped from his enclosure in Dumfries and Galloway has been stood down.

Wallace the wallaby escaped from his pen at the Crazy Critters Experience, near Lockerbie, on Friday, April 25.

It was feared the three-year-old parma wallaby was frightened by nearby dogs and hurt himself as he made his escape.

Wallace is thought to be the only wallaby of his kind to be hand-reared.

Volunteers from the animal education company joined Galloway Mountain Rescue Volunteers in the search. Despite using drones and thermal imaging over the Johnstonebridge area, the missing marsupial could not be traced.

Galloway Mountain Rescue used drones and thermal imaging to try and trace Wallace. Galloway Mountain Rescue Team via Supplied

Luke Mitchell, the owner of Crazy Critters, took to social media to confirm the search had been called off as he had “exhausted all options”.

“It is with great sadness, we announce we have exhausted all possible options of finding Wallace,” he said.

“Eight days from morning until night, little sleep, not even managed to finish a meal in eight days.
We have had thermal and image recognition drones from the local game keeper, 33 Air Solutions, and Galloway Mountain Rescue.

“We have covered acres upon acres of land and forestry. We have had scent-trained dogs and tracking dogs from Deer Tracking Organisation, and neither has managed to trace a scent.

“We have searched mornings, afternoons, nights, early hours and had no success. We have made traps and left familiar items along with supplement food and had no results.

“We have ran out of options to try and locate where he is, all evidence is suggesting he is nowhere near, in fact there’s no evident other than possible sightings that he was “loose”, the lack of traceability or even signs of wallaby are non-existent.

“I am hopeful, and praying that Wallace has gone off on his own and will be found/seen or make his way home soon so this search leads onto a location or some form or intel to his whereabouts.

“Please continue to keep your eyes peeled and call us immediately if you see any signs of him.”