Peacock on the loose in Willoughby
WILLOUGHBY, Ohio (WJW) — Police are on the lookout for a very recognizable escapee that literally “flew the coop” about two weeks ago.
Four peacocks owned by a Willoughby man got away when their owner accidentally left a pen door unlocked.
“Very responsible people, they’ve got a great setup in their backyard. Again, it was just an accident, leaving the pen door open. They were able to jump over the fence. One of the nicest pens I have ever seen for pheasants, roosters, hens and peacocks,” said Lt. John Begovic.
Two all white peacocks were recovered soon after their escape in neighbors’ yards.
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A blue peacock was hit and killed on Route 2 in the eastbound lanes about a half mile from where it had escaped.
A fourth remains on the run.
“Well, if you see it, I’m not telling you not to corral it but contact the police department. We will try doing it ourselves. If not, we will give the owners a call and try to get it back,” said Begovic.
The animals are legal to be kept as pets in Ohio. From what police know, they are not aggressive or dangerous.
Peacocks are not native to Ohio. They do adapt well to even the cold of Ohio winters and they are omnivores, meaning in the wild they will eat almost anything.
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“I’ve been looking for the [peacock] since last Wednesday when my neighbor asked me if I had seen it, so haven’t seen it but I’m keeping my eyes out for it,” said Willoughby resident Jack Geiger.
While the birds themselves may not pose a danger to people, Geiger worries about other predators, including coyote in the area that may pose a danger to them.
Police say they have wrestled with a deer that had a jack o’ lantern stuck on its head and responded to a call about a pig in a back yard.
But Begovic admits he is not a peacock expert.
“We have been on some crazy calls, a bat in a house, a lizard falling from a tree that I have been a part of. This is the first for peacocks. We have had a pig in a backyard of some lady, we helped that one out so no, just give police a call. This is our job,” said Begovic.
It was last seen in the North Willoughby neighborhood on Sunday morning, according to a Facebook post by the police department.
Anyone who spots the creature should call police at 440-951-1234.
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