Seriously Injured Emu Slowly Recovering After Much TLC

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- It's a story of survival-- an emu was seriously injured after falling on ice but is on the road to recovery.

Daru lives at Creative Acres in Adams County where he was born not long after his parents became residents at the animal sanctuary.

"Now he can stand on his own," said Creative Acres owner Maxine Mager.

Mager isn't exactly sure what happened to Daru, but found him on the property last month with a massive head injury and trauma to his neck.

After a visit with the veterinarian, she was told there was nothing to be done.

"This was not the first time the vets were like, 'Good luck,'" said Mager.

Mager turned to her decades of rehabbing animals who needed help.

"When a lot of people told me things can't be done, I kind of figured things out for myself," said Mager.

She provides up to four hours a day physical therapy for Daru but it's baby steps, "He doesn't like that, he doesn't like having his head up."

Now Daru is starting to walk and eat on his own. Mager thinks with a few more months of therapy the once doomed emu will be good as new.

"The more people who are educated and say we're not going to give up, the more it's better for the animals," said Mager. "Creative acres, we just don't give up."