Loose emu rounded up after several days near Indiana highway

Aug. 15 (UPI) -- An emu spotted running loose for several days in an Indiana county was rounded up by sheriff's deputies with the help of a state trooper.

The Vermillion County Sheriff's Office said on social media that dispatchers had received multiple calls over the course of several days about an emu on the loose in the area of State Road 63 and U.S. 36.

Deputies finally located the emu on SR 63 and Indiana State Patrol Trooper Tyler Turchi "went from patrolling for dangerous drivers to assisting with capturing the emu."

The responders used a long dog leash laid out with a loop to attempt to trap the large bird, native to Australia.

"Officers pushed the emu toward the lead and to everyone's surprise it stepped right in it," the post said. "The lead was snatched tight around the leg and the emu was eventually pinned to the ground."

A livestock trailer was brought to the scene and the emu was safely returned to its owner's property.