“It’s worth it if it makes someone’s day” — Texas trucker with kangaroo co-pilot explains life on the road.
We just found a trucker that travels with one of the most interesting animal co-pilots we’ve ever seen: a newborn red kangaroo.
Kenny Lovett, a truck driver from Texas, is turning attention online and in truck stops with his almost too-cute-to-be-true in-cab buddy Duncan, a red kangaroo around 10 months old.
How did Duncan become Kenny’s co-pilot?
Lovett admitted that, before adopting Duncan, he rarely brought pets on the road with him. Nonetheless, he and his wife have always loved exotic animals.
Lovett stated that one day he just thought, “I want a kangaroo,” and then contacted a breeder who connected him with Duncan in August 2022.
What’s life like on the road with a kangaroo co-pilot?
Lovett frequently travels to Illinois and Ohio on his way to other destinations in the Midwest in his 1990 cabover. Lovett adds that after taking Duncan in, he was nervous about driving a kangaroo out on the road, but he decided to give it a go, and it turns out that Duncan is a natural-born trucker. Duncan has been traveling outside of Texas on Lovett’s runs to the Midwest since January 2023.
Duncan, according to Lovett, is a fantastic road companion with the demeanor of a cat. He likes to sleep in his cotton bag most of the time. Kangaroos cannot be housebroken; thus, he wears a diaper in the truck to prevent accidents. Duncan, according to Lovett, is a simple animal to care for.
“He adores being on the road,” Lovett added.
When Duncan wakes up from his nap, he occasionally bounces around the sleeper or sits and observes the vehicles parked nearby.
“He doesn’t actually listen to you,” Lovett stated.
What does Duncan’s future hold?
Duncan is only about 6 pounds right now. Lovett believes that as a male, he could potentially grow to be over five feet tall, but because he’s been neutered, he’s unlikely to reach a muscular 200 pounds like a wild red kangaroo.
Lovett said that after Duncan gets too large to ride, he’ll spend his days outside with the family dogs on his 3.5 acres.
How did Duncan become Kenny’s co-pilot?
Lovett admitted that, before adopting Duncan, he rarely brought pets on the road with him. Nonetheless, he and his wife have always loved exotic animals.
Lovett stated that one day he just thought, “I want a kangaroo,” and then contacted a breeder who connected him with Duncan in August 2022.
How do people react to seeing a kangaroo at the truck stop?
According to Lovett, the public’s reaction to Duncan is a mix of disbelief and excitement.
Despite the astonishment of encountering such an exotic animal, he claims that most people he meets on the road recognize Duncan as a ‘roo rather than a more familiar American animal such as a deer.
Duncan, according to Lovett, has become a popular attraction at his frequent customer’s facility when he picks up or drops off a load.
“No one believes it,” Lovett said. “But what’s nice about it is that it makes them smile… It’s worthwhile if it brightens someone’s day.”
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