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Stray emu recovering at Townsend sanctuary

Katie Peikes
/
Delaware Public Media
Kiwi the emu at Square Dog Ranch in Townsend

An emu wandering around Sussex County for the last month was captured over the weekend and brought to a shelter in Townsend.

The wayward emu, which was since named “Kiwi”, is recovering at Square Dog Ranch – a dog boarding facility and animal sanctuary in Townsend. The bird is separated from dozens of ducks, a few llamas, roosters and one other emu. Its sex is still unknown.

Square Dog Ranch owner Cathy Capone says Kiwi seems to be doing well so far. The bird, which is likely less than a year old, came in with minor injuries from an altercation with a Delawarean over the weekend, according to 3 Palms Zoo & Education Center in Clayton.

“He’s very docile and sweet and I think that’s due to his age too because he’s a little younger,” Capone said. “But he’s been pretty good and relaxed – like right now he’s cleaning himself up and just hanging out…”

But she says it’s clear the other runaway Emu at the ranch – Eddie – has established his dominance. Eddie briefly stared at Kiwi before he turned around and went back to his business.

“He’s been here for two years and he pretty much owns the place,” Capone said.

Kiwi was rescued by local police and employees from 3 Palms Zoo after he became confined on a Seaford school’s playground. Matthew Shaffner, one of the co-owners of the zoo, said some questions still remain.

“We don’t know precisely where he came from,” Shaffner said.

And Shaffner says he’s still not sure whether the bird is an escaped animal or a released pet.

“But no owners have come forward saying they’re missing an emu so we don’t know how the bird got on the loose,” he said.

Emus are classified as ratites — or livestock — in Delaware’s code, according to Stacey Hofmann, a spokeswoman for the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

According to the code, "The department may exercise authority and make and adopt regulations covering the possession, control, care, and maintenance of, and take measures necessary to control disease in and ensure the welfare of, the following domesticated species: poultry and livestock, including but not limited to bovine, camilid, cervidae, equine, swine, ruminants, ratites, rabbits, poultry, and other animals harvested for food, fiber, fur or leather."  

Shaffner says he’d like to see stricter rules surface on how to care for them.

“They need to be permitted or registered animals so the state knows where every bird is owned, where they could’ve possibly come from” Shaffner said. “And enclosures need to have some minimum requirements for height and stability to make sure the animals does not escape.”