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PALMYRA, MO. -- A strange report in Palmyra had police there wondering whether they'd awaken in Australia.

The Palmyra Police Department received a report that kangaroos were on the loose in the city Tuesday afternoon.

Chief Eddie Bogue said that the call came in about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to the police department. A juvenile told police that someone spotted the kangaroos near Hamilton Steet and Leach Avenue. Bogue knew of an exotic animal show taking place in Macon this week, so he thought it was worth a check to see if any kangaroos were on the list.

"Giraffes are going to be there, zebras, all kinds of deer and African hoofed animals. So that brought in a possibility but there are no kangaroos on the list," Bogue said.

After about 30 minutes of searching, officers were unable to confirm if the marsupials were in the city.

"My husband came to the door and said, 'Now let me know if you see any kangaroos jumping around,' and I kind of laughed and looked at him and said, 'What? Why would kangaroos be around in Palmyra?'" Palmyra resident Stephanie Sydenstricker said. "I went inside and said, 'What's going on?' He said, 'well, I saw on the news that there might be two kangaroos that might possibly be loose.'"

Soon after the initial call came in, another from a city employee called to say four deer had just been spotted on a nearby block on Ross Street running toward Highway 61. Bogue says deer sightings are somewhat rare inside of town, but he's likely to believe someone mistakenly spotted a deer as a kangaroo.

"You could say they're both brown. I do know that," Bogue said. "It could be on a glimpse of a deer jumping, and the deer were probably moving pretty fast due to being in town and out of their element."

Bogue still hasn't ruled out kangaroos.

"Being in this job as long as I have, I do believe in anything until proven otherwise," Bogue said.

You're still asked to call the police department if you happen to come across what resembles a kangaroo.

This was the department's first ever kangaroo call.