The emu that has been living in Bill Rattray's backyard for days was taken to its new home in Olympia on Tuesday after emu farmer Jim Glick decided to take in the wandering bird.

Rattray said one day, he realized he had a pet he never wanted.

"And I look out the window and it was an emu sitting in my backyard," said Rattray. "It's kind of the oddest thing to happen. I was thinking, 'They don't fly or nothing so how did it get in my backyard?'"

Rattray closed his yard gate and called animal control. But he was told animal control officers don't deal with emus.

In the days that followed, no owner claimed the bird. Rattray wanted to find a new home for the bird and fast, before his young daughter got too attached.

"She wants to put a saddle on it and ride around. She's a little afraid of it, but it looks like Big Bird to her," he said.

So when Glick came forward, Rattray thought he was done with the hard part -- finding a new home for a bird that had simply dropped into his life. But when time came for the bird to move, he had another thing coming.

It took Glick, Rattray and two others to slowly corner the jumpy bird. And still, the emu might have slipped free if it weren't for Glick's professional wrangling hands.

The emu dodged left and right, aware of the wall of people closing in. When it tried to dash free, Glick pounced, firmly holding the bird in place as it kicked and squirmed, trying to free itself.

"Not bad for a 70-plus-year-old guy, huh?" said Glick.

Well, the emu farmer said, it wasn't his first rodeo, after all.

"I've done it many, many times," he said. "I have the shredded pants and scars to prove it."

Glick loaded up the emu on a trailer donated for the day by Hooved Animal Rescue of Thurston County.

As for the wandering emu, Glick said it will have plenty of friends and possibilities for even a love interest on his farm.