PITTSBURGH,None — Officials at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh are trying to determine how spray-painted chickens got into various campus buildings and whether the incident was a fraternity prank or something else.
Beth McMaster, a wildlife rehabilitator, has been caring for nine birds removed from campus buildings beginning on Saturday. She said one bird was spray-painted pink, another with purple paint, and others with yellow.
Carnegie Mellon officials said in a statement that students are cooperating with the university's efforts "to understand what happened on Saturday, when farm chickens were found in campus buildings." Any disciplinary action will be handled through the school's internal judicial process.
One bird was found in a student center, another in a racquetball court.
A wildlife rehabilitator in Butler County is taking care of the chickens at this time.
"I don't think any of them are just chickens. I think every creature has a right to have a decent life and this was just harassment, and they didn't deserve it," said rehabilitator Beth McMaster.
McMasters said that two of the birds are sick and that all were malnourished.
The Western Pennsylvania Humane Society told Channel 11's news exchange partner at TribLive that the culprits could face up to $750 in fines and 90 days in jail for animal cruelty.
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