Feathers have been ruffled at Lynn University over the removal of some fowl residents from the Boca Raton, Fla. campus.
After a gaggle of nonnative Muscovy ducks set up shop at the college -- allegedly sullying local health conditions (think duck excrement!) -- the school called in a private contractor to remove the ducks and relocate them to their natural homes -- or so they thought. As it turns out, the contractor gave some of the ducks to third parties and, as Lynn described it in a Facebook post, they were "destroyed."
Cue campus outcry. On the school's Facebook page and elsewhere, many have expressed outrage over the school's handling of the ducks. As one student wrote on Facebook, "I'm actually even more disgusted that I attend Lynn as a student then I was before. If the duck [sic] were non-native and you just had to relocate them then how about the non-native students who go to your school? You going to relocate them too? Basically what your [sic] saying, am I wrong?
Oof.
In an official statement, the school said it was "very disturbed" by the news that the ducks might have gone to a not-so-nice place after they were taken off campus:
As soon as we heard the accusations regarding the ducks' possible fate, we launched an investigation to find out what truly happened to the ducks that were removed.
Upon further inquiry, we have learned this morning that the contractor did relocate some of the ducks, but that most were handed off to third parties, and he does not really know what happened to them. The contractor is no longer cooperating with our investigation. We will never use his services again.
We deeply regret the way this situation was handled and how it has upset many Lynn employees and students alike.
May the healing begin.
What do you think? Would you be upset if this happened on your campus?