Crime & Safety
Lindenhurst Emu Dead After Rescue from Copiague Canal
Large pet bird was on the loose in Lindenhurst after escaping from owner's yard.
An emu that escaped from a yard in Lindenhurst has died after police hoisted out of a canal it had fallen into near Copiague.
According to Newsday, the emu, which belonged to Steve Weinkselbaum of East Santa Barbara Road, escaped sometime during the morning on Memorial Day, running through the streets nearby as neighbors attempted to help recapture the bird.
The bird eventually ran into a nearby canal where police hoisted it out of the water. During its time in the water or during the lift, the five-foot bird passed away.
"I don't know how it got out, all the gates were locked," said Stephen Weinkselbaum to Newsday, the son of the bird's owner. "My dad loved that bird so much."
Neighbors told News 12 Long Island the emu had lived at the home for nearly 10 years and had become an attraction for neighborhood children.
A Suffolk County SCPA chief told Newsday it is legal to own an emu in Suffolk County, although town and village regulations vary on a case-by-case basis.
The bird, according to the family, will be cremated.
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