San Diego Humane Society officials are searching for the owner of an emu — a tall, flightless bird similar to an ostrich — after the animal was found wandering in a Vista neighborhood Wednesday night.
A resident called Humane Society officers around 6 p.m. to say that an emu had run into their family member’s yard on Vale View Drive, off Hacienda Drive just south of state Route 78, spokesperson Nina Thompson said.
Six of the organization’s officers and emergency response team members arrived and, concerned for the bird’s safety, used a roll of orange plastic netting to guide the emu into a trailer, Thompson said. The bird was then taken to the organization’s Escondido campus.
Upon arrival, veterinarians noted the bird had suffered injuries to its neck and right wing, Thompson said. The animal, which was later nicknamed Claudius, was placed in a fully-enclosed yard to be monitored by medical staff.
The 3-year-old bird was put on a 72-hour hold while the organization’s veterinarians and staff determine next steps, Thompson said. As of Thursday evening, no one had come forward to claim the missing animal.
Emus are legal to own in California and are often considered livestock, Thompson said.
“We do not know where the emu came from or how he was injured,” Thompson said. “We encourage any potential owner to contact us at our Escondido campus.”
Officials asked anyone with information about the bird or its owner to contact the San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido campus at (619) 299-7012.
