Runaway Emu Sends Police on Wild Chase Down Washington Highway
When you take an oath to protect your city as a police officer, you can somewhat expect the stress and chaos to come. Traffic stops, arrests--that's all part of the deal, but offiers in one Washington town had to call in for backup when they realized just who their suspect was.
In the wee morning hours of January 30, Kitsap Humane Society in Silverdale sent out Animal Control officers to assist with capturing an emu who was running down the highway. Yes--really! Emergency calls started coming in around 3 a.m., but by the time morning rolled around, the emu (affectionately named 'Elliot') was getting comfy in the humane society's barn. Even though he's safe and sound following his daring journey, people still have lots of questions.
LOL! This certainly wasn't the kind of suspect any police officers were prepared to deal with, so it makes sense why the humane society was called in to help. They had much more knowledge about capturing large animals than highway patrol does, and they had a cozy spot in the animal barn just for him. If only there were videos of him being wrangled by the pros...I'm so curious how they did it!
Related: Little Emus With Cases of the Zoomies Are Brightening Timelines
Once Elliot was safely in custody, he was brought to the barn for a mandatory 3-day stray hold. This step applies to all stray animals brought into the shelter, including dogs and cats, but no one came forward to claim the escape artist. Fortunately, @kitsaphumanesociety had a plan for him.
Thank you for rescuing this bird! He may not be your 'typical' rescue animal that you'd see in an animal shelter, but he's just as deserving of finding a loving home. With a little time--and the right audience--the perfect owner is bound to find him!
If nothing works out, he can always audition to be the next Liberty Mutual Insurance 'Limu Emu.' It's like the humane society said: he "found his liberty-biberty thanks to our friends at Center Valley Animal Rescue," so his natural next step is training for the role.
Are Emus Good Pets?
The important part of Elliot's story--his happy ending--has been squared away--but people still have questions about his past and his rescue. It's understandable! While it may not be possible to predict who this flightless bird belonged to, it's probably a safe bet that he played an active role in his escape. Emus can be fast and feisty when they need to be, and this guy likely bolted without as much as a second thought.
As you can guess, they're not just anyone's ideal farm animal or pet. While emus are legal to keep as pets in most places, they require plenty of planning, space, attention, and care. Just ask Elliot!
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