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Escaped Emu Dies During Police Chase On Long Island
By
Lauren Evans
Published May 28, 2013
Modified May 28, 2013
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By
Lauren Evans
Published May 28, 2013
Modified May 28, 2013
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When you keep an emu locked in your backyard, you have to be prepared for the possibility that someday, it will escape, run through the streets and, if it's very unlucky, fall in some water and die.
An emu—not to be confused with an ostrich—on Monday ran away from its Suffolk County home, where it lived with the Weinkselbaum family for more than 10 years. Befuddled officers took off after the bird in what must have been a hilarious chase—at least until the unfortunate creature tumbled into the waters of Copiague. Where it died.
"It's about 200 to 250 pounds," a police spokesman told Newsday during that chase. "It just went into the water. . . . It's possibly attempting to come to shore. It's a strong and powerful bird."
Improbably enough, emus are said to be good swimmers—the Weinkselbaum's hypothesize that their pet's untimely demise came at the hands of bumbling officer's catch poles. Looking at the video, we see they might be right.
View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.
The bird's name was Emu. You will be relieved to know that it will be cremated.
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Lauren Evans
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