23. Vanilla Ice’s Wallaroo
Robert Van Winkle, more commonly known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is known for his music, but his life outside of his career holds some surprises as well. One of the most notable is his choice of pets. Unlike the traditional dog or cat, Vanilla Ice opted for a more exotic companion: a 60-pound wallaroo named Bucky Buckaroo. Bucky, a cross between a kangaroo and a wallaby, certainly adds a unique element to Van Winkle’s household, demonstrating the rapper’s long-held fascination with exotic animals.
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The story of Bucky Buckaroo took an interesting turn in 2004 when the wallaroo, along with Vanilla Ice’s pet goat, Pancho, (we know, as if it couldn’t get crazier!) managed to escape from the backyard of his wife’s grandmother’s home in Port St. Lucie, Florida. It appears the animals decided to indulge in a local adventure, ultimately leading to their discovery by a local woman who contacted Animal Control. This episode of escape and subsequent retrieval highlighted the unusual nature of Vanilla Ice’s choice of pets and the peculiar challenges they could present.
Despite the escapade, Vanilla Ice’s affection for his unusual pets is evident. Bucky, who Vanilla Ice had bought three years earlier from a wallaroo breeder for $2000, had even been allowed to sleep in his children’s bed when he was a baby. The incident of 2004, however, highlighted the regulatory challenges of owning such exotic animals. A missing permit for Bucky nearly resulted in Vanilla Ice not being able to reclaim his beloved pet. This episode was a sobering reminder of the responsibilities and challenges that come with owning such uncommon animals, even for celebrities like Vanilla Ice.
