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You're outside, mowing the lawn, and all of the sudden, a huge, hairy-looking bird pops out of the bushes and runs past you... what the heck was that?!? The emus are on the loose. Strutting along the shoulder of Route 19 and fearlessly going up the center of country roads and into open fields behind suburban homes in Washington County, these flock of emus -- gawky, large-bodied, small winged birds -- are on a mission. A mission of escape, that is. South Strabane farmer Dave Burrows is the pursuer of these big birds, which average about 6 feet tall and weigh in at about 120 pounds... shorter, lighter versions of their ostrich cousins. On May 9th, Burrows' 18 emus fled from his farm. Almost a week later, Burrows had captured all but three of the timid avians. A near impossible task, considering that the emus can run at 30 miles an hour, easily outrunning any human being. Through trial and error, Burrows managed to capture the fifteen emus by trapping them in a corner. Having only little stubs for wings, Burrows was able to hold the wings like a hand. He was surprised that the usually docile birds had fled in the first place, crumpling a brand new 6-foot high wire mesh fence. This was the first time any of his animals had escaped. Burrows raises the emus for meat and oil (which can be used for cosmetic or pharmaceutical purposes).Visit the OnTV Bulletin Archive.        
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