Fugitive Emu That Escaped From Petting Zoo, Ran Amok On the Streets Of Ramapo, Corralled By Police

RAMAPO, NY — Stop us if you've heard this one before, but an unusual police chase involving a wayward emu was no joke.

"We don't know why the chicken crossed the road, but the emu crossed the road because Sgt. Anton didn't give it an option," Ramapo police said of a weekend call that was for the birds in a social media post. "Patrol officers quickly located our feathered fugitive, but as you can imagine, convincing an emu that the adventure was over took a little teamwork."

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Police say they responded to the unusual call after the emu decided to make a break for it from a local petting zoo.

Officers said the department's Skydio Drone as First Responder (DFR) helped by providing an eye in the sky, allowing officers to track the emu's movements and safely get it under control.

"Sgt. Anton ultimately made it very clear that its unauthorized tour of Ramapo was officially over," RPD said. "The emu was safely recovered and returned to where it belonged. No injuries, no citations, and no word yet on whether it plans to escape again."

All in all, the incident is a real feather in the police department's hat. While other jurisdictions might have buried their heads in the sand, Ramapo police quickly clipped the fugitive's wings (figuratively), and stopped the fowl antics in its tracks.