B.C. police say safety forced them to use a conducted energy weapon on an emu

B.C. police say safety forced them to use a conducted energy weapon on an emu | iNFOnews.ca
File photo of an emu. SUBMITTED/Pexels

CHEMAINUS, B.C. – Mounties in the Vancouver Island town of Chemainus say they had to resort to drastic measures in an effort to get an errant emu out of the way of highway traffic.

Police say after several attempts to capture the animal on Tuesday, they decided the best course of action was to use a conducted energy weapon to stop the five-foot-seven-inch-tall emu from wandering back onto the road.

Police say the 100-pound animal escaped from a nearby farm and was a safety concern for passing motorists, pedestrians and residents.

After consulting with animal control officers, police say officers discharged the energy weapon on the emu, quickly secured it and took it to a nearby farm.

RCMP say the emu appeared uninjured by the jolt.

Staff Sgt. Chris Swain says their primary concern was the safety of both the public and the aggressive animal, and they're pleased it ended with as little force as necessary.

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Marshall Jones

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