Missing feathers became key evidence that connected the emus to Isidoro Lujano-Gonzales, 43, of the 2800 block of North 74th Court in Elmwood Park, officials said. Officials say Lujano-Gonzales is charged with dumping the birds on the North Shore.
Lujano-Gonzales was cited for abandoning the large, flightless birds near the Skokie Lagoons after police warned him that he could not keep them in a yard behind his apartment, officials said. A fourth bird is believed to be missing.
"He gave us a big story about how the birds might have ended up [on the North Shore], but we weren't buying it," said Guy Johansen, field supervisor for Cook County Animal Control.
Two of the birds, which are native to Australia, were caught Nov. 22, including one that had been shot in the breast and is recovering. Police believe Lujano-Gonzales intended to shoot the birds "and let coyotes eat the carcasses," Johansen said.
He said the birds, at 6 feet and 100 pounds each, were probably more difficult to handle than Lujano-Gonzales expected.
On Wednesday, Glencoe and Cook County Forest Preserve District police officers caught the third emu, which was found shivering that night during a snowstorm. Sightings were reported near Forestway Drive and Tower Road.
"He was shaking, cold and was probably pretty hungry," said Katie Sweeney, animal control officer for Glencoe. Most notably, he was missing feathers, a key to the mystery.
He matched the description of one of four emus that Elmwood Park police found Nov. 20 behind the apartment building where Lujano-Gonzales lives, Johansen said.
"It looked just like a turkey before you cook it," said Linda Schmidt, who, with her husband, Roy, operates the 12-acre farm in McHenry where the emus are recovering.
"He's in a horse stall right now with a heating lamp because his whole back has no feathers," she said.
Forest Preserve District police cited Lujano-Gonzales for three counts of abandoning an animal, an offense punishable by fines of up to $500 on each count.
The Animal Control Department charged Lujano-Gonzales with three counts each of allowing an animal to run uncontrolled and of being responsible for the damage or costs of an animal at large.
All six counts are misdemeanors punishable by fines of up to $1,000, six months in jail or both, Johansen said.
Lujano-Gonzales told officials that the birds belonged to a local junk collector who had taken them from his home the day after Elmwood Park police said he couldn't keep them there, Johansen said.
"We told him since he was the last one in custody of them, we were ticketing him and he could tell the judge that story," Johansen said.
Lujano-Gonzales was released and is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 13.
Schmidt, who raises 10 pairs of breeding emus for their eggs and meat, said she believes the newcomers are adolescents between 18 months and 2 years old.
The male who was shot is healing quickly, and the female is in good condition, she said.
She believes the third emu, a male, lost his feathers while penned up with the other birds, which probably "beat him up" with their sharp claws as the odd man out during mating season.
"Except for being frightened, they're not in bad health at all," she said.
Their future is another story. Unless they are linked to an owner who wants them back, the emus are probably headed toward slaughter, Schmidt said. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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