Ostrich briefly escapes owner in Sioux Falls, now safe and sound at home

Stop for coffee, stay for the ostrich.

The large wandering bird was found frantic in the middle of South Louise Avenue this morning, heading south in front of Coffea Roasterie, with his beak gaping and his left wing extended toward the road.

But traffic resumed before the rush of lunch hour. Sioux Falls Animal Control confirmed that the lost ostrich belonged to an owner with a faulty door on the back of his trailer. Out jumped the bird, when dutiful bystanders pulled their heads out of the sand to leave their cars in the middle of the road and lure the ostrich with a Tupperware of food away from northbound traffic.

The owner was able to fetch him promptly, fix the mechanical issue on the trailer, and be on his way with the ostrich safely in tow.

"The ostrich suffered no injuries, appeared just fine by us and was back with its owner before we had to take over," said Thomas Rhoades, Sioux Falls Animal Control officer.

Rhoades could not confirm where the owner of the ostrich was coming from or going to, only that he was passing through Sioux Falls.

Serenity Young, who works in admissions at the Great Plains Zoo, also confirmed that the ostrich did not belong to the zoo, which only has an emu.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Ostrich briefly escapes owner in Sioux Falls, now safe and sound at home