'Habitual runaway' emu captured in central Minnesota

Missing emu
Authorities in Benton County, Minn., reported that they're searching for a runaway emu.
Benton County Sheriff's Office

Updated: 9:21 p.m. | Posted: 8:27 a.m.

Authorities in central Minnesota's Benton County reported late Sunday that they've apprehended a wayward emu.

The Benton County Sheriff's Office had reported Saturday night that the emu — a "habitual runaway," authorities said — was missing in the Foley area.

"Runaway fugitive emu has been located. We completed our questioning and released him to his owner," the sheriff's office reported Sunday night in a Facebook post. "This emu has been placed on house arrest in attempts to avoid a repeat of this situation."

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Initially there were two emus and a dog missing, the sheriff's office said, but one of the emus and the dog were located first. Then the other emu was found Sunday.

Further details on where and how the emu was found were not immediately available.

It's just the latest fugitive animal report from around Minnesota. Last year a wayward goat spent several days on the lam in Inver Grove Heights before being caught.

In February, police officers — again in Inver Grove Heights — corralled a horse that had wandered into the basement of a home.

And of course, in June 2018 the #mprraccoon drew worldwide attention as she scaled a skyscraper in downtown St. Paul.