By Jon Chown
Two emus that escaped from the same owner kept Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers busy before both birds were safely returned home.
Deputies responded around 8 p.m. Oct. 11 to a report of an emu standing in a resident’s yard on Harper Street in Live Oak. They initially could not find the bird, but returned after a second caller reported it had reappeared.
While searching, deputies encountered the owner of the emus searching for his pets. He explained that two emus had escaped from his property.
After a brief chase, two deputies helped the owner capture one of the birds and return it home.
The second remained on the loose overnight.
The following morning, the CHP’s Santa Cruz office received numerous calls about an emu running in and out of traffic near Harper Street and 17th Avenue.
The owner arrived, and officers helped safely corral the second bird, according to a CHP social media post.
Officers often encounter dogs, cats and deer on the road, the CHP said, but an emu was an unusual assignment.