CMU promises 'serious' painted chicken probe
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A Carnegie Mellon University police detective has been assigned to help investigate the discovery on campus of nine malnourished farm chickens, some apparently spray-painted, the school said Thursday.
The statement came as an upstate New York wildlife sanctuary offered to take the birds in, said Beth McMaster, a wildlife rehabilitator on whose Butler County farm the birds have been receiving care since they were discovered over the weekend.
The hens were found beginning Saturday in campus buildings including the University Center, the school's student center, Carnegie Mellon officials said.
Ms. McMaster told the Post-Gazette in a story published Thursday that she felt the birds were victims of animal cruelty. They had not eaten in nearly a week, she said, and some were streaked on parts of their bodies with what she described as a potentially toxic, oil-based spray paint. She said two have a respiratory problem.
She received a call Thursday from university police, and the detective assigned to the case showed up midday at her farm to take a statement and look at the birds. She said he concurred they had been painted and indicated an active investigation was under way.
"I got the impression this guy wants to see this through," she said. "I feel much better about it."
Carnegie Mellon spokeswoman Teresa Thomas on Thursday said the school would "continue to conduct a very thorough internal investigation" to find out how the birds ended up on campus.
"We're taking this matter very, very seriously. I can't stress that enough," she said.
The school has said a number of students are cooperating with campus affairs staff as they attempt to ascertain what happened.
First Published March 19, 2010 12:00 am
