Southern Alberta emu ‘a mystery to everyone here,’ rescue says

Emus are native to Australia, not Alberta. What was one doing loose near DeWinton?

Keith, an exotic bird who roamed the Foothills, is allowed to live with others of his kind thanks to Cobb’s Exotic Animal Rescue in Calgary.

The emu, which was spotted by several people on the morning of June 19, was wandering near Red Deer Lake School before being captured.

The bird, which was seen limping slightly along the highway, was put in a trailer for its own safety before being captured by the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“The Alberta SPCA called me…they knew we had emus and asked what vet we used and then asked if we could house them for a while until the owners came forward,” said Rianna Smyth, manager of Cobb’s. Exotic animal rescue.

“For us it was an easy answer because we had the space for it and we are familiar with emus. So we said yes, and about a week later they came back and no one had come for it, so they finally gave it to us .”

The enigmatic emu raised questions when it was found: What was it doing loose around DeWinton when there was no information about any emu owners, farms or hobbyists in the area? Why didn’t any owner, or anyone with knowledge of the large exotic animal, report it missing or come forward with any information?

“It’s a bit of a mystery to everyone here,” said Smyth, who named the emu Keith. “A lot of people use them to protect their property, so maybe they had him and a few others protecting property or other animals, and then he snuck away.”

Emus, the largest living birds after ostriches, can grow up to six feet tall, weigh up to 130 pounds, and are armed with sharp claws.

“Sometimes people have them as pets. If it’s a pet, chances are someone would have come forward if they missed it,” Smyth says.

“If the previous owner came back, we would have to decide if we could verify that this was theirs, but for now he is a permanent resident. No one has come forward and the SPCA has basically said they probably won’t.”

No information is available online about domestic emus in Foothills County and the surrounding area, although emu farming is widespread in Alberta and other parts of the country. Outside of urban areas, no license or permit is required to own or breed emus in Canada.

Keith seems to be doing well in his new home at Cobb’s Exotic Animal Rescue, which is home to nine emus in total. Because Keith limps, he is being treated before being introduced to the others.

“I’m probably going to join him with the others next week,” Smyth said. “They’re on both sides of the fence and he’s started making little friends through the fence.”

Once Keith has recovered from his injury and is with the other emus, he has plenty of room to run around and socialize.

“We make sure they have different toys and things like that so they can entertain themselves,” Smyth said. “Super smart animals, they’re very curious.”

Cobb’s Exotic Animal Rescue, part of Cobb’s Adventure Park in northeast Calgary, is home to dozens of exotic animals, including kangaroos, wallabies and numerous reptile species.