An animal lover says she is “heartbroken” after having to put down her “celebrity” emu.

Dugee the emu was known for escaping the Happy Pants Ranch near Bobbing, Sittingbourne, on numerous occasions.

Owner Amey James had noticed the six-year-old flightless bird was not his usual self last Sunday, August 18, but had initially thought it was because of the heat.

But the next day she noticed he was eating less and then in the evening, she found blood where he’d been sitting.

After calling 10 practices, a livestock vet agreed to visit the ranch but said Dugee's condition was too complex to treat because it pointed to a tumour.

Amey got a second opinion from an exotic animal vet in Bexley but was again advised to euthanise him.

The Iwade resident says she is “heartbroken” that she had to make what was the “right decision”.

She added that she has received an outpouring of support from the community after posting a tribute on social media with close to 900 reactions.

Dugge had reached local celebrity fame after his runaway antics.

One of these saw Amey having to ditch her Wetherspoon curry meal to fetch the animal.

She said: “He was a huge character and such a dopey, friendly boy who absolutely loved human hugs and would happily fall asleep in your arms.

“We’re all devastated to have lost him and miss him so much.

“Several members of the public have stopped me to offer their condolences, which is really lovely.

“So many locals knew of Dugee for escaping the sanctuary and taking himself for walks in the nearby fields with “the lonely tree” in Lower Halstow being his favourite destination.

“He was known for patrolling the sanctuary gates and peering over at anyone on the other side and also humping inanimate objects and members of the charity’s crew.

“There’ll never be another Dugee, that’s for sure.”

Dugee has been at the centre since 2019 with his sister Luna.

Amey rescued the pair after being contacted by a woman in Hythe who had hatched some emu eggs but only had a small garden.