ROTTERDAM At-large peacock finally caught BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
The shrill cries coming from behind the Jefferson Elementary School fields sounded almost like a young child in distress. Sometimes at night, the shrieks would resonate throughout the Madia Lane neighborhood, causing residents a blend of bewilderment and angst over its source: An escaped and abandoned pet peacock living in a nearby patch of woods. The bird eluded capture for nearly three months, prompting some to worry about its well-being and others to plot its demise. The creature was the proverbial white whale for Timothy Longo, the town’s animal control offi cer. Just weeks after he was appointed to the position, the first reports of the peacock surfaced. “We got calls every day,” he said. “But they’re not easy to catch.” Peafowl, as the male and female birds are collectively called, are related to pheasants and can have wingspans of up to four feet. Though they can’t sustain fl ight for very long, the birds can use their large wings to lift from the ground momentarily and flee from any perceived threat, as Longo quickly discovered during his pursuit. Then on Wednesday, Longo received a report of the creature wandering along a fence line in the neighborhood. The close proximity to the fence prevented the bird from expanding its wings, which provided the perfect opportunity for him to capture it. “It ran, I ran, and then I tackled him with a leap,” he said with a grin. The capture came as welcome news to Jack Kochem, a night custodian at Jefferson Elementary. Like others at the school, he had watched the peacock with a mix of amazement and concern. At first, he marveled at the bird, which made frequent appearances during his shift. But as it continued to roam free, he began to worry that harm might befall the creature. Some residents were bothered enough by the peacock’s loud cries that they complained to the school and suggested it be killed. Kochem also worried that area dogs might harm the bird. .............>>>>.......................>>>>..............................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01301&AppName=1
Aww, come on, have a heart for this one. OK, it's the animal lover in me (no, I'm not a PETA extremist), but I feel for this little guy in the same way I feel for the pelicans in the gulf, and the same way I feel for my dog
This made Fox News at 10 pm. last night. Tim Longo was interviewed along with FDG. FDG put the peacock in with the other chickens on his property. Shadow, you may be right about it tasting like chicken, eventually it just might!
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