Missing emu captured by HCSO, reunited with family

LITHIA (FOX 13) - A Lithia couple's beloved pet emu has been found and returned after being gone from its home more than a week.

Easter the emu escaped from Linda and Wayne Lohf's home June 1 and they have been frantically searching for him since.

Spottings of Easter came in from people around the community. Easter was reportedly seen near S County Road 39, near the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir in the NW region of the Alafia River State Park, in a pasture on Hobson Simmons Road, and near Big Bend Road near US 301.

Wednesday, Linda decided it was time to take her search public, and less than 24 hours later, deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Agricultural Crimes Unit found and captured Easter in a blueberry field. 

Easter was reunited with his human and animal friends, which include other emus, ducks, horses, and goats.