Emu-Napping In The News
Authorities in Britain are reporting that emu was kidnapped from the animal center he lived at. Now, the emu, named Rod, was five feet tall and fairly hefty at 45Kg. So the emu-nappers used a wheeled garbage bin to take Rod for a ride.
Rod the emu, named after the late entertainer Rod Hull, was removed from a fenced enclosure at the animal centre near Blackburn, Lancashire, before he was stuffed into the bin.
Staff at Lords House in Rishton fear the fully-grown creature may not have survived his ordeal and that his mating partner, Penny, who was untouched in the raid, may be "traumatised".
The eight-year-old emus are among the animals at the farm who provide therapy for youngsters and adults with special needs.
Police said burglars broke into the premises in the early hours of yesterday morning and used a bin from a neighbouring property to make off with the creature.
They are thought to have wheeled Rod through fields for up to a mile before they crossed a main road and onto a track which led to a disused railway bridge.
The bin was found dumped in a nearby stream. Karen Hamer, the farm's animal care supervisor, said she feared Rod may be dead.
Now if the police had read the news today oh, boy, they be looking in one of the four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire. But we digress. This story, oddly, has nothing whatsoever to do with the Animal Uprising™. Instead, our informants tell us this was actually a professional hit job. Note where the trail of the wheelie bin led - to the nearest bridge. Yes, the hit had been ordered by none other than Penny. She'd caught Rod making eyes at the ostrich.
By steveH, Saturday, 30 December , 2006 @ 3:28 pm
Hmph. I reject the notion that the emu was providing any sort of “therapy.” I used to raise these thoroughly stupid ratites, and they are extremely skittish and will peck at anything shiny or small (like a button). That would spell “disaster” when combined with those with “special needs.” What’s wrong with just sticking with puppies?