Overview
- SJC0 Cpl. Keisler responded to reports of a loose emu on County Road 13 about 20 miles west of St. Augustine and recorded the encounter on his body camera.
- The emu ignored commands, kicked with its talons, and fled on foot before being cornered near what appeared to be its enclosure, according to the sheriff’s office.
- Keisler used a makeshift lasso and handcuffed the bird’s legs to neutralize its talons, detaining it without injury, the agency said.
- The sheriff’s office posted the footage to Facebook, where it drew wide attention, and Keisler quipped that he had never handcuffed an emu before.
- Authorities said the emu was reunited with its owner and no charges were pursued, as coverage also noted the bird’s size and speed and the regulatory framework for keeping emus in Florida.