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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/28/escaped-emu-walkabout-barnstaple
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Escaped emu goes walkabout in Barnstaple | Escaped emu goes walkabout in Barnstaple |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A fugitive emu that went walkabout in a north Devon town has been apprehended by the police. | A fugitive emu that went walkabout in a north Devon town has been apprehended by the police. |
| Amazed residents called the police and two officers seized the flightless bird before it could wander into rush-hour traffic in Barnstaple. | Amazed residents called the police and two officers seized the flightless bird before it could wander into rush-hour traffic in Barnstaple. |
| They held the animal – originally a native of Australia rather than south-west England – in the back of their patrol car for half anhour before an animal ambulance arrived and took it away. | They held the animal – originally a native of Australia rather than south-west England – in the back of their patrol car for half anhour before an animal ambulance arrived and took it away. |
| Officers are searching for the owner of the bird. | Officers are searching for the owner of the bird. |
| Acting Sergeant Zoe Parnell said she had just begun her shift at 7am on Wednesday when she got a call that an ostrich was on the loose in Riddell Avenue, a residential street in the town. | Acting Sergeant Zoe Parnell said she had just begun her shift at 7am on Wednesday when she got a call that an ostrich was on the loose in Riddell Avenue, a residential street in the town. |
| "I thought it was a wind-up," she said. "I thought we'd arrive and it would be a turkey or something like that." She rushed to the scene, where she was joined by police community support officer Stephen Huxtable. | "I thought it was a wind-up," she said. "I thought we'd arrive and it would be a turkey or something like that." She rushed to the scene, where she was joined by police community support officer Stephen Huxtable. |
| Parnell said she wasn't sure what the creature was but knew that they had to stop it reaching the main road, where the bird could have caused rush-hour chaos. | Parnell said she wasn't sure what the creature was but knew that they had to stop it reaching the main road, where the bird could have caused rush-hour chaos. |
| "It was trying to get into people's houses. Obviously it was finding that difficult, and would try the next one. I must admit that while I'm not normally scared of birds, I was a bit nervous with this one." | "It was trying to get into people's houses. Obviously it was finding that difficult, and would try the next one. I must admit that while I'm not normally scared of birds, I was a bit nervous with this one." |
| It fell to Huxtable to seize the bird and put it in the back of the police car. | It fell to Huxtable to seize the bird and put it in the back of the police car. |
| Like many others apprehended by the police, the emu was not happy. "There was a lot of wee-ing and poo-ing and flying feathers in the back of the car," said Parnell. "It's going to have to be specially cleaned." | Like many others apprehended by the police, the emu was not happy. "There was a lot of wee-ing and poo-ing and flying feathers in the back of the car," said Parnell. "It's going to have to be specially cleaned." |
| She thought about giving the bird a drink from her water container "but it was a bit distressed so I thought it was better to leave it", she said. | She thought about giving the bird a drink from her water container "but it was a bit distressed so I thought it was better to leave it", she said. |
| Instead, the officers called for backup from Diana Lewis, north Devon's "animal angel" and a leading light in North Devon Animal Ambulance. | Instead, the officers called for backup from Diana Lewis, north Devon's "animal angel" and a leading light in North Devon Animal Ambulance. |
| The emu remains in her care while the search for the owner continues.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it was not necessary to have a licence to keep an emu. | The emu remains in her care while the search for the owner continues.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it was not necessary to have a licence to keep an emu. |
| However, Wendy Higgins of the Humane Society International/UK flagged up concerns: "In Britain, we keep more exotic wild pets than cats or dogs, and often residents can be completely unaware they are living next door to a python or a primate. Often it is only when an escape or an accident occurs that their existence is revealed. | However, Wendy Higgins of the Humane Society International/UK flagged up concerns: "In Britain, we keep more exotic wild pets than cats or dogs, and often residents can be completely unaware they are living next door to a python or a primate. Often it is only when an escape or an accident occurs that their existence is revealed. |
| "Unbelievably, there is no definitive national register of the number and variety of exotic animals being kept in the UK or traded globally. | "Unbelievably, there is no definitive national register of the number and variety of exotic animals being kept in the UK or traded globally. |
| "Wild and exotic animals are not pets, but a welfare disaster waiting to happen. It is high time the appalling commerce in wild animals for the pet trade was brought under serious control and preferably banned altogether." | "Wild and exotic animals are not pets, but a welfare disaster waiting to happen. It is high time the appalling commerce in wild animals for the pet trade was brought under serious control and preferably banned altogether." |
| Emus used to fall under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 but have been delisted. | Emus used to fall under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 but have been delisted. |
| Higgins said: "However, the list of species covered has been seriously reduced, many local authorities fail to effectively enforce he legislation, and there are serious questions regarding the competence of those that do. | Higgins said: "However, the list of species covered has been seriously reduced, many local authorities fail to effectively enforce he legislation, and there are serious questions regarding the competence of those that do. |
| As a result, non-compliance levels are believed to be high." | As a result, non-compliance levels are believed to be high." |
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