Marsupial on the loose on Montreal’s South Shore highlights animal trafficking

“I could have got hold of a monkey for $9,000, a kangaroo for $6,000. There are turtles, there are snakes — you name it,” she said. “It’s a very lucrative trade, the illegal sale of exotic animals.”

Cadorette says her organization received a call on Wednesday from a concerned citizen who had noticed the animal while visiting a horse stable in the area.

Quebec requires special permits to keep wild and exotic animals in captivity, including kangaroos and wallabies.

Cadorette says the citizen told her the marsupial was locked up alone in an unsuitable environment. Following the report, Cadorette called the provincial anti-poaching agency to investigate.

She says she learned through government agencies that the stable did not have the necessary permits for an exotic animal, adding that the marsupial had likely escaped from the facility.

The Environment Department confirmed in an email that the investigation is ongoing, and initial information suggests that “the animal was being kept illegally in facilities that did not comply with Quebec regulations.”

After receiving more calls about a wayward marsupial, Cadorette called the anti-poaching agency back asking them to capture the animal and bring it to safety as it was near a highway. She worries the animal could be struck by a vehicle and that it cannot survive if it remains in the area until winter.

Daniel Labonté, a spokesperson for the Environmental Department, says that while the animal is not in danger and does not pose a risk to the public, people should still stay away from it to ensure its safety.

Galahad and an animal rescue organization both say they are ready to capture the animal and bring it to a nearby sanctuary but have not received government authorization to do so.

Labonté says the Environment Department is assessing the situation to determine the safest way to capture the marsupial. Quebec regulations prohibit anyone from capturing an animal that requires a licence to keep.

For her part, Cadorette wants the government to do more to crack down on the exotic animal black market.

“As far as I know, no one in Quebec has a licence to transport these animals. But I mean, someone must have brought them here from somewhere,” Cadorette said.

The Environment Department did not respond to a request for comment on exotic animal trafficking in Quebec.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2026.

Erika Morris, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Marsupial on the loose on Montreal’s South Shore highlights animal trafficking

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