6-Foot-Tall Emu Escapes From OC Pen

TUSTIN (CBSLA.com) — A six-foot tall emu was loose for a brief period of time on the streets of Tustin, authorities said Tuesday.

Police officers responded to a call of an escaped emu in the 400 block of 6th Street before 11:30 a.m., according to the Tustin Police Department's Facebook page.

The bird - which resembles an ostrich - was spotted running in and out of traffic, The Orange County Register reported.

When they arrived on scene, the emu had been corralled by neighbors back to the owner's residence, police said.

The flightless emu - which appeared to be fully grown - was secured in its pen along with two other emus, according to police. There was no threat or danger to public safety, police said.

The incident was being handled by Orange County Animal Control (OCAC) officers, who met with the unidentified owner following the emu's capture.

Emus are the largest bird native to Australia and can reach sprinting speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.