Bridgetown wildlife rescuer attacked by roo was on mission to save trapped joey

A well-loved Bridgetown wildlife carer was attacked by a male kangaroo while trying to rescue a joey caught in a fence. Bridgetown Wildlife Rescue founder Shane Williams is now recovering at home after a trip to Fiona Stanley Hospital for surgery following the attack, which she said happened quickly. After being called on to help a joey stuck in a fence, Ms Williams was on site with Brett Trigwell on August 26, helping the animal free. “I was holding her weight up, so that the pain wasn’t as bad with the weight hanging on her leg. All of a sudden, I feel this great big claw covering my face,” she said. Ms Williams said she was partially deaf and didn’t hear the “big roo” approaching. It began clawing at her face and she told the Times she fell and became unconscious. Holding her with his left arm, and clawing her face with his right claw, Ms Williams said all she could see was a “flap of flesh” and blood pouring out as her skin torn was away from her face. “When I woke up, Brett had fended him off,” she said. “I was in excruciating pain. It was so painful. Brett’s panicking, and he had a towel, and he put it on my face and applied pressure, and then he just wanted to get me to the hospital.” But she refused to leave the still-stuck joey. After freeing the animal she treated it before heading to hospital herself. She then travelled to Perth for surgery and further treatment. Despite the horror, the incident won’t deter her from her wildlife work, she said. “I think it was the father of the joey, because they don’t usually do that,” Ms Williams said. “It didn’t know that I was there to help it.” She told the Times the joey was recovering well.