BY DAVE CHOATE

Police officers chasing and capturing emus sounds like a better concept for a movie than for real life, but for the second time in just over a month, the absurd has become reality.

With one emu captured by the Hooksett Police Department on Friday, Aug. 24, and another still at large, the flightless birds have come into the public’s consciousness in a way no one could have predicted.

But don’t let anyone tell you they’re easy to catch.

“We did the ‘grab it by the beak’ trick and it seemed like a good idea, but it turns out it didn’t like being held down, either,” said Hooksett Detective Sgt. Nick Pinardi. “When it stands up on its back legs and stretches out its neck, it’s taller than you. It was a scary bird.”

The captured emu is one of two that were reported missing from the Morse Hill Road emu ranch of Richard Racca, who had another emu escape in July. One of the emus was sighted in Bow on Tuesday, Aug. 21, but Bow police Lt. Dave Girard said there was no way to know if it was the same one that was captured in Hooksett.

“We saw it and attempted to capture it last Tuesday by the fire station, and that was the only time it was sighted to my knowledge. It wasn’t aggressive and it appeared to be healthy, but when we attempted to capture it it walked into the forest. We weren’t privvy to the beak grabbing trick, and it wasn’t until after the stories started showing up that we started getting tips,” Girard said.

If the other bird turns up in Bow, he will likely forego the beak grabbing method in favor of a pillow case over the head, he said.

Dunbarton master patrol officer Jacqueline Pelletier said the department is figuring out what course of action to take if an emu turns up in the town. She also said officers are searching for any possible discipline for Racca or anyone else involved in the emu escapes.

“None of these emus have been seen in Dunbarton, even though they all seem to have originated from here.
Most of our laws pertain to dogs and other domestic animals, so we’re just sort of winging it as we go here,” Pelletier said.

Racca did not return a phone call placed to his house before press time. The second emu is still at large, and anyone spotting the large bird is encouraged to call their local police department.