Kangaroo leaves owner, 80, in hospital after knocking him to the ground and brutally assaulting him for 15 minutes - 22nd Sept 2011

The 80-year-old owner of an exotic animal farm was hospitalised after he was subjected to a brutal 15 minute assault - by a kangaroo.

John Kokas was repeatedly punched in the face and upper body by the aggressive 6ft, 200lb three-year-old red male.

He had reared the animal, which had never attacked before, since it was six months old - but now faces having to put it down.

A woman called 911 at 10.50am saying her father-in-law had been attacked.

Breathlessly, she told the dispatcher who had asked what was going on: 'My father-in-law got hurt by an animal, bad.'

When asked what his injuries were, she replied: 'All over. I don't know how to explain it, but it's bad.'

The surprised dispatcher was then told it was a kangaroo that had caused the incident.

Experts believe Tuesday's attack, at the Kokas Exotics Animals Farm outside Green Camp, Marion County, Ohio, occurred because the beast was protecting a female on heat. Read More