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" FOUNTAIN - Plop-plop was raised right as a beloved pet emu in a good home. But a hard storm and a low fence tossed her into the mean world, where she was led astray. Bay County sheriff's deputies and animal control officers spent a few days responding to sightings of the bird. Plop-plop even was reported chasing cars along U.S. Highway 231. On Monday, the bird found itself stuck in a pasture with the law close behind. Sheriff's Deputies Randolph Grob and Derrick Groves responded to a call from a man claiming an "unknown emu" was in the pen with his horses and goats, according to the incident report. "We walked up kind of sort of close to it - within about 8 or 9 feet. Up to that point, it seemed excited but not really agitated," Grob said. The deputies did not quite know what to expect from the bird, but they closed in and hoped it would surrender peacefully. "At that point, the thing went kind of crazy," Grob said. If the deputies came too close, the bird either would charge them or plow into the fence. The deputies were concerned about the bird hurting itself, but also worried about the sharp talons on the end of long, flailing legs. "We had heard stories of these things, because they are such a powerful bird, such a big bird, with big claws and stuff, could possibly hurt us. So, we were a little concerned about that," Grob said. The deputies opted for a technological solution: Grob used his Taser to try to subdue the animal. "I think we had exhausted the fact that we weren't going to be able to just corral it up on our own without harming it," he said. But Plop-plop didn't go down with one hit. While the detectives were trying to hobble the bird, it decided to make one last desperate dash, and the deputies gave the emu another jolt, according to the incident report. After her brief spell of delinquency, Plop-plop warmed to her new surroundings and its temporary caregivers after about a day, animal control officer Debbie Evernham said. They determined she must be someone's pet and consulted the Internet to find out what an emu eats. Soon, the bird was competing with puppies for head scratchings and attention. Plop-plop's owner, Roger Smith, contacted the shelter Wednesday morning and was permitted a visit to the secure ward, Evernham said. Smith, who owns The County Press, will upgrade emu security to prevent any future breakouts, and should be able to post bail by Monday. "My wife and I went to visit her in doggy jail this morning," Smith said. "We were very pleased they're taking very good care of her." Grob said the emu complaint was one of the "stranger calls" he ever has taken, and expects a good deal leg-pulling from co-workers. "I heard there is already a shrine to me up on the bulletin board," he said. "It's things like this that you can say, ‘Wow, something funny and fun can happen.' " "

8/21/2008 6:25:35 PM

lol plop plop??

8/21/2008 6:26:18 PM

PLOP

PLOP

8/21/2008 6:26:19 PM

Plop-plop is definitely one of the worst pet names I've ever heard

maybe the worst ever

8/21/2008 6:26:37 PM

the moral here is that we're all just a couple of "technological solution"s away from being lapdogs lol

i want an emu

8/21/2008 6:29:59 PM

It was all like...
Don't tase me bro!


[Edited on August 21, 2008 at 6:32 PM. Reason : ]

8/21/2008 6:31:54 PM

this article is way funnier if you read the word "emo" instead of emu

8/21/2008 6:48:18 PM

^^ With hair like that, you can't tell if that is a pre or post-tase photo.

8/21/2008 6:49:16 PM

WHAT EVIL COPS!!! THAT EMU WASN'T DOING ANYTHING WRONG AND THEY CAME UP AND TASED THE POOR THING@!!! WE NEED TO OUTLAW TASERS NOW

8/21/2008 6:49:56 PM