Runaway emu Tasered by police after blocking morning traffic

Ashley Tiefert talks about a traffic-blocking, runaway emu like you'd talk about the weather.

"At first I thought, 'Oh, there's an ostrich,'" said Tiefert, who was born and raised in the small community of Chemainus, B.C.

"Then I thought, 'Nope, that's an emu. There'san emu and a cop isfollowing him down the road.'"

Tiefert was stuck in traffic on Chemainus Road just before 10 a.m. PT on Tuesday. She had been taking her daughter to the city when cars started to stop in the street.

A five-feet-seven-inch, 100-pound emu had escaped a nearby farm and wandered into traffic. RCMP were trying to catch it.

The quiet police chase passed Tieferton the opposite side of the road. The emu's clawed toes clackedsteadily on the pavementas the bird jogged down theshoulder, an RCMP truckwith red and blue lights flashing rollingclosely behind.

Watch the slow police pursuit of Chemainus emu on Tiefert's video

Runaway emu struts down the street in Chemainus B.C.

5 years ago

Duration 0:13

An emu that escaped from a farm in Chemainus B.C., ended up creating a morning traffic jam on Aug. 13, 2019.

Mounties latersaid the bird was not happy andbecameaggressive with officers and animal control personnel. After half an hour, officers subdued the bird with a Taser. It was returned to the farmunharmed.

Tiefert carried on with her business.

"Just another day in Chemainus, I guess," she said.