A suburban neighborhood in Allegheny County was left stunned after a family’s 160-pound pet emu was chased down a suburban street and fatally mauled by two neighboring pit bulls.
The tragic incident unfolded in McKeesport, a suburb roughly 12 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, leaving the exotic bird’s owners heart-broken and demanding accountability.
According to the bird’s owners, David Callos and Carly Stroman, the 3-year-old, 6-foot-tall emu—named Barb—became vulnerable after the neighbor’s two dogs reportedly breached the family’s property line.
Callos and Stroman received an urgent phone call that Barb had escaped her enclosure and was under heavy attack at the bottom of their property. By the time Callos arrived on the scene, local law enforcement was already present, but the damage to the animal was catastrophic.
“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,” Stroman told local reporters.
Due to the severity of the wounds to the bird’s neck and throat, responding McKeesport police officers had to humanely put Barb down at the scene.
The owners emphasized that Barb was not aggressive and had never escaped their property prior to being chased out by the dogs. The family, who raises birds as part of a breeding setup, noted that emus are officially classified as livestock in Pennsylvania and carry significant financial and emotional value.
Callos and Stroman stated they have experienced ongoing friction with the owners of the dogs in the past, noting that the neighbors denied ownership of the animals following the attack.
The family has contacted local dog wardens and authorities to explore pressing criminal charges or filing a civil lawsuit against the dog owners to recover damages for the loss of their livestock. The incident remains under review by local authorities.
