The emu was last seen in the area of Ferrum College to Crossroads, authorities said.
Have you seen this emu?
The large bird stands at roughly 5 feet tall, weighs 100 pounds and has dark hair. They're normally docile creatures, but if provoked, experts say, they could bite.
Animal control officers at the Franklin County Virginia Animal Shelter have been asking the public to be on the lookout for an emu that has been on the loose for at least the last two weeks, possibly longer, they said.
On Wednesday, the Franklin County Virginia Animal Shelter posted a blurry photo of the emu on their Facebook.
“Ferrum folks we need your help! Who has emu's (yes, emu). We have one on the loose and need help locating owner,” the Franklin County Virginia Animal Shelter said in the post.
There have been reported sightings of the large bird, UPI News reported.
Cindy Lamb, manager of the Franklin County Animal Shelter, said that no one knows where the emu came from, and no one has reported the Australian bird missing, according to the news outlet.
In the meantime, concerned residents are trying to do their part. “Could this be the same emu? They can run 35mph and pretty far in one day if spooked," one person wrote on social media and posted a photo of a bird.
Another wrote: “Highly recommend people not approach it. You don’t want to be on the receiving end of those feet if it isn’t friendly.”
The Franklin County Virginia Animal Shelter did not respond to Inside Edition Digital's request for an update.
The emu is a flightless bird. It is the second-largest living bird that is native to Australia.
