A runaway emu sent a California neighborhood into chaos, weaving through traffic and turning Santa Cruz County sheriff’s deputies into unlikely bird wranglers.
Deputies were seen pursuing the fast-moving bird through local streets, just days after another loose emu created a traffic disturbance in the same area.
“When we say no two days are the same in this line of work, we really mean it,” the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office wrote Saturday. “Just another day on the job… apparently ‘keeping the peace’ sometimes translates to keeping an emu out of traffic long enough for its owner to come get it.”
The office also made clear that the bird was not connected to the earlier incident. “And no this is not a repeat offender from the CHP Santa Cruz emu incident. Different bird, same agenda: wreak havoc,” officials added.
The latest emu escape happened only days after California Highway Patrol officers responded to a separate bird on the loose, drawing several calls from worried drivers.
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The emu’s owner arrived soon afterward, allowing officers to safely contain the animal. “Fortunately, the Emu’s owner quickly arrived on the scene, and we managed to safely corral their feathery friend,” CHP Santa Cruz posted Wednesday. The agency also thanked everyone who called to report the unusual situation.
The incidents quickly became a source of amusement on Facebook, where users compared the emu sightings to a familiar insurance commercial.
“It was just making sure that homeowner had car insurance,” one commenter joked. Another wrote that the bird was searching for an audition for the Liberty Mutual car insurance commercial.
Liberty Mutual launched its LiMu Emu advertising campaign in 2019. The commercials feature the feathered mascot alongside his human partner, Doug, promoting the insurer’s “Only pay for what you need” slogan.