First-ever emu to travel by wheelchair

Bella View Farm Animal Sanctuary (BVFAS)—a North Carolina nonprofit organization that offers care, healing, and a permanent home for special needs farm animals—recently rescued a 2-month-old baby emu named Lemu, in extremely poor condition.

According to an organizational release,¹ Lemu was discovered in Wisconsin, where he was kept in a tote bag with a slipped tendon and was half the size of his other siblings. When Rhonda Farrell, founder of BVFAS, caught word of this injured bird, she posted a plea for transport on social media to get Lemu from Wisconsin to North Carolina. Her social media followers helped make it happen, and Lemu was brought to BVFAS.

Lemu, the baby rescue emu, ready to hit the ground running in his new wheelchair (Photo courtesy of Wallkin' Pets).

Upon arrival, Farrell and her team realized Lemu needed a device to help him get back on his feet and support him in the rehabilitation recovery journey. With 7 goats at BVFAS currently in wheelchairs, they had the perfect idea!

Thus, Lemu received a wheelchair from Walkin’ Pets by Handicappedpets.com—a pet mobility company— so he could maneuver around the animal sanctuary and have something suitable for his special needs. According to the release, “. . . Instead of walking, [Lemu] took off running!”

“The wheels help stimulate him and prevent him from getting depressed,” said Farrell.¹ “Look at this boy . . . Need I say more? Now he’s got fresh air, Vitamin D, and some wheels.”

Lemu is the first emu to use a wheelchair, blazing the trail for others of his species plus a variety of other animals to use this option to rekindle their freedom.

Reference

2-month-old rescue emu gets wheelchair. News release. Walkin’ Pets. June 14, 2022. Accessed June 14, 2022.