“Keeping the East Bay Safe from Errant Emus Since 1932”
That’s not actually the motto of the East Bay Regional Park District police. But this week, it might as well have been.
According to a post from the agency, on December 20 officers tracked and apprehend a “fugitive” emu that had gotten loose in Wildcat Canyon.
According to the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department, officers located the flightless bird, corralled it, and safely transported it to the Clark Road area, where Contra Costa County Animal Services took custody. Police said no one was hurt in the capture — including the emu.
The emu didn’t go down easy, though. The police say they first engaged the emu in “a high-speed (okay, high-stride) pursuit.” Wildcat Canyon park is huge, at almost 3,000 acres. So the emu could have easily evaded capture.
Instead, after the “pursuit”, “Officers Lopez, Sanghera, and Salas successfully located, corralled, and safely transported the feathered suspect,” the police say.
Photos show the emu happily resting inside a squad car.
Residents responded with an appropriate level of puns, given the situation. “You all look suitably emused,” Susan S responded to a photo of the police officers with their suspect.
So how did a flightless Australian bird get loose in an East Bay Park? Officers believe it escaped from the home of a local resident who keeps exotic birds.
Thankfully, we’ve got the EBRPD police ready to respond and keep us safe from emu encounters everywhere.
“No officers were harmed. No emus were harmed. Pride? Slightly ruffled. 😄 Case status: Emu = safe. Park = secure,” the police posted. “All in a day’s work.”
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