Headline of the Week - "Man shoots horse-harassing emu"

A Park County man shot and killed a neighbor's emu that was on his property Wednesday evening.

Mike Goetz, of Meigs Road, called the Park County Sheriff's Office and told officials he shot the emu because it was "harassing his horses."

An emu is a large, flightless Australian bird that resembles an ostrich, but is smaller, weighing up to 130 pounds.

The shooting is the county's second neighborly animal shooting in 10 days. The first involved a mother who shot a neighbor's dog that was growling at her three young children.

Goetz said the emu was near the horses' barn, where their food and water was, preventing the horses from eating or drinking.

He tried to chase the emu away, but it wouldn't budge, so he shot it with a 44 magnum pistol, according to Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ed LaCombe.

"I'm hopefully not going to cite anyone for anything," LaCombe said. "(Goetz) was within his rights to protect his property."

According to LaCombe, Department of Livestock representative Ted Wall said Goetz's neighbor, Cindy Miller, could be cited for liability of owners for trespass and animals running at large.

LaCombe said Wall told the Livingston/Park County 911 dispatch center that killing animals to prevent an injury is not illegal.

The owner of the Montana Emu Ranch in Kalispell, Penni Collins, said depending on the age of an emu, a bird's value can range from $500 to $2,000.

Emus are typically valued for eggs, feathers, leather, meat and oil, Collins said.

Emu oil is used for personal care and therapeutic products, and is one of the only food sources that contains the fatty acids Omega 3, 6 and 9, she said.

A gallon of emu oil can sell for $400.

Neither Goetz or Miller could be reached for comment Thursday morning.