Three ducklings rescued by University of Colorado fraternity members who were hiking up at Chautauqua are headed back to the students after police determined that the ducks were actually abandoned pets and not wild animals as they originally believed.
University of Colorado police originally confiscated the three ducklings Tuesday after three of the students held a pie-throwing fundraiser on campus to try and raise money for the baby birds.
Scott Pribble, a spokesman for the CU police, said one of the school’s officers found three students trying to raise money for the ducklings by allowing people to throw pies at their faces in exchange for cash. Obviously, March 14 is observed by some as National Pi Day.
“They were over at Norlin Quad doing a fundraiser to buy a proper shelter for their new pets,” Pribble said.
Furthermore, Pribble said police, thinking the ducklings were wild, decided to confiscate the animals and take them to a local wildlife center. Police were not sure if the fraternity members were able to raise any money before being shut down by university police. The students, who remain unidentified, were not issued any summons.
Via Daily Camera:
Boulder police animal control Officer Taylor Barnes came to pick up the ducklings, he realized that they were not wild and were likely abandoned pets. The ducklings’ former owners have a week to claim them, but Barnes said he doubts that will happen.
In consulting with the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Barnes said he discovered local stores often begin to sell ducklings and chicks before Easter and that the baby animals often wind up being abandoned.
Barnes said that he went over to the fraternity to inspect the ducklings’ living situation and said if they aren’t claimed in a week, he was comfortable giving leaving them with the fraternity.
Barnes said the ducklings are only about three to four weeks old, and said he told the fraternity they will likely have to give them up when they get bigger.
Classic news out of Boulder — totally heartwarming yet totally f*cking bizarre. Leave it to a bunch of stoned frat bros to rescue a bunch of ducks.
