Bethel Park police seek owner of chicken found wandering roadway

Police in Bethel Park are searching for the owner of a chicken that was found wandering along a roadway and temporarily disrupting traffic.

According to a social media post from the Bethel Park Police Department, officers responded to the area of 160 Drake Road after receiving a report of a chicken in the roadway, which was "apparently indecisive as to whether or not to cross the road," the post read.

When officers arrived, they found the bird roaming in the center lane, creating a traffic hazard. Police said the chicken was safely captured after what they described as a brief foot pursuit.

The bird was transported to police headquarters, where officers joked that the chicken had been "detained" and "interrogated" before the chicken "claimed" she was directing traffic rather than blocking it.

So far, no owner has come forward, but Officer Ryan and his wife Jessica are taking care of it in the meantime.

"She seems very friendly," Jessica said. "She's super well taken care of. Somebody probably misses her, so I hope they see this."  

Officer Stephen Hozella, who found the chicken, said it's all in a day's work.

"We are more than just what you think the police officer does, so in Bethel Park anyway, we do answer various community needs and yesterday was chicken wrangling," Hozella said. 

Police identified the bird as what appears to be a Plymouth Rock chicken and are asking anyone who believes the animal belongs to them to contact the department at 412-833-2000.