An escaped emu sparked a police chase through the streets of Cottonwood, Arizona.

Emergency teams responded after multiple 911 calls reported the flightless bird running through traffic and attempting to attack residents.

Officer Kellen Burnes said: 'Our dispatch started getting calls that there was an emu walking through the parking lot of our Walmart here in town and trying to attack people.'

Authorities said one caller even mistook the Australian creature for a baby giraffe, highlighting the surreal nature of the chase.

Footage shows two police officers restraining the bird named Frank using a net on October 28 at around 11:38 am.

Officers and animal control eventually used a key piece of animal trivia to their advantage - emus cannot walk backwards. This allowed them to corner Frank against a fence and safely take him into custody.

Burnes confirmed that Frank is now back on his property, bringing relief to residents and officers after the two-day pursuit.

Emus are large, flightless birds native to Australia, known for their long legs, strong kicks, and ability to sprint at high speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.