The Brief
- Residents in Gilbert safely pulled a young, drenched emu out of a canal near Lindsay Road and Stonebridge Drive on Sunday morning.
- Gilbert police thanked the fast-acting locals and transported the bird to local East Valley rescue organization Crystal’s Critter Haven.
- It remains unclear how the bird ended up in the waterway or who owns the exotic pet.
GILBERT, Ariz. – A Sunday morning walk along a Gilbert canal took a wild turn when local residents spotted an unexpected swimmer taking a dip in the water: a young emu.
What we know:
Dispatchers with the Gilbert Police Department received calls just before 8:45 a.m. regarding a large bird stranded in the canal west of Lindsay Road, between Elliot and Guadalupe roads. Before officers arrived on scene, a group of neighbors walking along the canal trail jumped into action, pulling the drenched bird out of the water.…