A family in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, is mourning the loss of their pet emu, Barb, after the three-year-old bird was fatally mauled by two dogs on Tuesday afternoon. Cellphone footage captured the six-foot, 160-pound emu being chased through the streets before police were forced to euthanize her due to catastrophic injuries.
David Callos and Carly Stroman, Barb's owners, stated that the dogs, described as their neighbors' pit bulls, allegedly broke into the emu's enclosure. Barb was attacked within the fenced yard before she escaped, apparently drawing the dogs away from the family's five other emus.
Pursuit and Attack
The pursuit continued from Park Street to Ravine Street, where Barb was found with severe injuries. A mechanic at a nearby garage attempted to intervene by kicking at the dogs and driving them away from the emu. Stroman believes Barb ran towards the mechanic, leading the dogs away and sacrificing herself to protect the other birds.
"She was lying in the middle of the road at the bottom of our property line after the dogs had torn her throat out, and the damage they did is just unbelievable," Callos told CBS Pittsburgh.
The family, who were not home during the attack, stated that Barb had never previously escaped her enclosure and was a gentle animal. They also noted that the dogs had allegedly killed one of their chickens in the past.
Previous Incidents and Relocation Efforts
Callos claimed that the family had experienced prior issues with the neighbors and the same dogs, stating that the dogs were frequently loose. "We’ve had problems with these neighbors and these dogs before, and they deny having the dogs," he told CBS Pittsburgh.
Pennsylvania law defines a dog as dangerous if it kills or severely injures a domestic animal without provocation while off its owner's property. It is unclear if the dogs involved have been seized or subjected to any proceedings.
The family, which includes four children, began raising emus after purchasing their first two birds from Moonlight Valley Farm. Cooper, another emu belonging to the family, had gained local attention in August 2024 after escaping and being filmed walking through the neighborhood.
Following Barb's death, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help relocate their five surviving emus to a five-and-a-half-acre property outside McKeesport. The funds will also cover anticipated legal costs as they seek "justice for Barb."