It was the second roo to be put down in the paddocks surrounding the hospital in a week, after a security guard spotted a kangaroo with an arrow through its head on Sunday, December 16. 

On Thursday night, it was again a security guard who noticed that a kangaroo trying to jump over the hospital gate had an arrow sticking out from under her abdomen. 

The RSPCA and Hunter Wildlife Rescue were called to catch the injured animal. 

Ann Morgan, a volunteer for Hunter Wildlife Rescue, said the female kangaroo was “in a dreadful state”. 

“The state the girl was in was absolutely horrific. The inside of her pouch was rotten and she smelt really bad,” Ms Morgan said. 

“The RSPCA arrived just in time. He was able to euthanise her.” 

Ms Morgan said she believed the kangaroo was shot at the same as the first because the arrows were similar and the wound had festered.

“How do we know there aren’t others?” she said. 

“That’s what I said on Sunday. It’s been a terror of a week.”   

 RSPCA inspectors handed the arrow found in the kangaroo’s pouch to Toronto police.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said the sighting of another kangaroo, this one with an arrow in its neck, was reported to inspectors on Wednesday.

Despite searches by the RSPCA and Hunter Wildlife Rescue volunteers, a third injured kangaroo has not been found. 

“We don’t know whether this was the one that was sighted or if there’s another one with an arrow through its neck that hasn’t survived,” Ms Morgan said on Sunday, December 23. 

Hunter New England Health announced in late November that it would be restricting access to Morisset Hospital due to health and safety concerns. 

The functioning mental health hospital had become a popular destination for tourists wanting to see kangaroos. 

The hospital’s main gate is now permanently locked. 

Hunter New England Health said custom-built gates would be installed in March or April with swipe card access, intercom and video cameras for staff. 

Newcastle Herald