Koalas seized in a February raid have been returned home
Home at last, Nancy Small is reunited with the Koalas she says should never have been taken from her park.
Nancy Small hovers like a mother hen as five of her seven park inhabitants are lifted back into the enclosure by rangers from the RSPCA. One of the men was here two months ago to take the Koalas away, but Nancy says she harbours no grudges.
The bundles of fur leap enthusiastically onto the branches, on which are attached cylinders of fresh eucalypt leaves.
They all look bright eyed and beautiful,” says Nancy.
But she says to her they looked that way the day they were seized in a raid by the RSPCA, filmed by commercial TV cameras in February.
Nancy says she’s been told the animals have been treated for diarrhoea and Chlamydia, but she is not convinced they left the park in that condition.
She disputes the claims made by the RSPCA and will pursue an inquiry.
In the meantime five koalas and two shingleback lizards are back home. Another two koalas will be returned at a later date, they are still undergoing some tests.
A rare treat for a group of school children who happened to be at the park as the animals are returned, they are thrilled to see the koalas, not to mention witness the media scrum.
Leaning up against the fence with a stuffed koala in one hand and a camera in the other is Liz, who has been a loyal supporter of Nancy and the park.
She’s thrilled to see the animals back.
“I think they know they are home,” she says.
The RSPCA rangers while not commenting to the media made an inspection of the park, to make sure the changes Nancy had been required to make had been carried out, then left the Smalls to reacquaint themselves with their animals, and only time will tell who gets the last word in this case.
The Koalas will be visible but quarantined from coming into contact with the Koalas for at least 30 days.
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