'In My 25 Years, I've Never Handcuffed an Emu'

A Florida deputy has captured a runaway emu and safely returned the large flightless bird to its home. A St. Johns County deputy responded last Friday to a rural area west of St. Augustine following reports of the bird's escape, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post, per the AP. The deputy "attempted to secure the emu," but the bird kicked multiple times using its huge talons and took off, authorities said. After a short chase, the deputy cornered the emu, "secured it with a makeshift lasso, and handcuffed its legs to render the talons useless."

"In my 25 years, I've never handcuffed an emu," says the deputy, identified only as Cpl. Keisler. "This is definitely a new one." The emu was returned to its owners unharmed. "All criminal charges against the emu were dropped," the sheriff's office noted. Emus are native to Australia and can grow to be more than 6 feet tall. They have soft brown feathers, a long neck, and long legs, which allow them to sprint up to 30mph.