Keeping a wallaby as a pet in Hamilton? Think again!

A dama wallaby, similar to the one pictured, is reportedly being kept as a pet in Hamilton. Photo / Supplied

A wallaby being kept as a pet in Hamilton has prompted a warning from the regional council that they are pests not pets.

The Waikato Regional Council is investigating a report earlier this month that the dama wallaby is being kept as a pet at a Hamilton residence and says it is an offence under the Biosecurity Act.

Waikato Biosecurity pest animals team leader Brett Bailey said wallabies were not pets and the damage they caused was costly both in a financial and environmental sense.

Wallabies were like possums and destroyed native bush by feeding on seedlings, ferns and grasses and starving native birds and other animals of food and shelter.

They were also hard to contain, he said.

Wallabies are classified as an unwanted organism in the Biosecurity Act and possession of any live wallaby is an offence, unless they have an exemption. The exemption is only considered for petting zoos or wildlife parks.

"Under no circumstances will Waikato Regional Council grant an exemption to the rules for people wanting to keep wallabies as pets," Bailey said.

Breaching the act can result in fines ranging from $5000 to $100,000 and up to five years' imprisonment.

The Waikato is seeing an increase in the number of dama wallaby due to them coming over from the Bay of Plenty and the regional council is working with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Department of Conservation to crack down on further spreading in the next few months.