Kent family reunited with pet emu caught on doorbell camera

A family have spoken of their joy after being reunited with their escaped pet emu.

Rodney the emu was captured on doorbell footage at a property in Loose, Kent, on Saturday.

Kent Police officers were alerted and helped locate the flightless bird in a residential street close to its home.

Owner Sarah Stribbling-Williams said she was "delighted to have Rodney back home again".

She said the six-month-old bird escaped after one of her children let it out in the garden by mistake.

Mrs Stribbling-Williams said: "I wasn't aware that he'd gone missing. I thought he was in his stable, and then a man came down and said 'have you lost your emu'.

"He'd gone down the footpath and a road away in a neighbour's front garden," she said.

"We have had him since he was a four-day-old chick,

"He's a very friendly and tame member of the family."

She added: "He often comes in our house and if outside he will come and knock on the kitchen window for some treats.

"He spends his time with our seven children along with our others animals - dogs, cats, horses, chickens - and can often be found running round our garden with the dogs."

Ms Stribbling-Williams said she was not surprised he was captured on doorbell footage trying to get in the home of pensioner Maureen Roberts.

Mrs Roberts said: "I didn't know the emu was on the loose in my garden until I saw the footage on my phone.

"I just didn't believe it until I heard the tapping noise outside on the door."

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