Escaped emu back home in Colfax after 5 days

COLFAX, Ill. — An escaped emu in central Illinois has found her way home.

The Pantagraph in Bloomington reports Sassy was home Thursday evening after five days away from the Central Illinois Small Animal Rescue in rural Colfax. The bird escaped a pen during a fight between another emu and a dog. Colfax, about 25 miles east of Bloomington.

Sassy spent Thursday peeking out of nearby cornfields and running away from staffers who tried to surround her. Animal rescue worker Pat Burr says the bird was frightened.

Burr says, in the end, Sassy walked right into a pen and Burr she the door behind her. Burr think “she was a little thirsty.” The bird was spotted Tuesday along Illinois 9 and twice on Thursday.

The animal rescue has found homes for 25 emus.