Anyone seeing an emu, a large ostrich-like bird, on the loose, is asked to call the owner immediately.

Andy Burr reported that last Saturday night after dark, a neighborÂs pit bull managed to crawl under the fence and frighten the six foot tall emu, which then climbed the eight foot enclosure and got away. He said they spotted the emu in the woods the next day but the bird eluded capture and has not been reported since.

He advised the public not to try to lasso or grab the bird, as it can be viscous with its talons and kill or injure in self-defense. He asked that anyone seeing the bird, to call him day or night, at 253-1794. "We know how to handle him," he said. BurrÂs family has alerted neighbors.

The ostrich-like emu is described as gray-brown in color, and if standing straight up, reaches six feet with its head. In the back it stands about four feet. It can run as fast as 35 m.p.h. and is hard to catch, Burr stated.

Two weeks ago the same dog scared BurrÂs two emus and they escaped. He was able to get one back, the one that escaped again, but the other was accidentally killed. He stated that someone had lassoed the emu and tied it to a tree. Sadly, by the time Burr received word and got to the scene, the emu had choked itself trying to get away. Burr stated that it was an accident and the people that caught it feel bad about it.

He has taken care of both of these birds for 23 years, since they were small.

Burr was able to identify the pit bullÂs owner this time around because after hearing the ruckus, Burr got out to the pen to find the dog stuck inside it and the bird escaped. The emu had clambered up the wire and bent it down, to get away from the dog, and fell out to freedom.

Burr alerted the owners, and contacted State Police. The dog has since been taken away by the dog warden for being allowed to run loose twice and causing damage to BurrÂs property.

When the bird was seen Sunday, it appeared to have been injured in the neck by the dog, said Burr, although the wound did not seem to be life-threatening.