Bixby woman raises exotic animals

You hardly ever see kangaroos around the Tulsa area since they are native to Australia. But News on 6 reporter Rick Wells found some kangaroos surviving and thriving in Bixby. <br/><br/>Not only that,

Thursday, March 16th 2006, 10:22 am

By: News On 6


You hardly ever see kangaroos around the Tulsa area since they are native to Australia. But News on 6 reporter Rick Wells found some kangaroos surviving and thriving in Bixby.

Not only that, he explains one of them is helping kids with mental health issues get better.

It is all happening at Kay Williams’ place down in Bixby. "I just have a mini farm I just don't have traditional animals." I'd say that's pretty much of an understatement. Kay's the evening supervisor at Shadow Mountain Institute, a mental health treatment facility for kids from 4 to 18. She's a nurse with a masters in counseling.

They've started calling her the kangaroo lady. Zeus is a kangaroo; he goes to work with her everyday. "Children will come in for assessments, it's scary, they're in crisis anyway." She hands them Zeus and the focus changes, they calm down and the therapy can begin. She has nine kangaroos. The adult males will weigh 150 pounds. They live 20 - 25 years.

She says they can be great pets. "If there's a drawback, is if they get out they can run 55 miles an hour." So you don't let them out.

Kay Williams also has about 40 registered miniature donkeys. Also a few pygmy goats and Samantha. Samantha, who is a camel, likes soda pop, took her about 20 seconds to chug down a 2 liter bottle. But it was the kangaroos, and the well, kangaroo therapy that got our attention.

She says not one thing works with all kids, but she knows the kangaroos have helped, in some cases quite a bit. “The doctor actually ordered more kangaroo time." Yeah, I'd like that, more kangaroo time, I think.

Williams breeds and sells the miniature donkeys, and may soon put some of the kangaroos on the market. If you want to know more, she says call her at 918-269-3795.
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