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These chicks live the good life in Troutville.

Turns out the AP wire has picked up the Chicken Empathy Museum story. The Botetourt View has spoken with three representatives of PETA, two in Norfolk and another in Washington, D.C.; the answer, "We'll get back to you," and finally they did.

While they seem very serious with their offer, they have no idea how big the old Camp 25 facility is or anything that had been accomplished there in the past. When Ashley Byrne, media relations rep called back, indeed she knows the prison is in Virginia but did not know the layout.

For those who are not aware, there are numerous buildings including two large inmate dormitories, a cafeteria, a library and school, training facilities, a medical facility and so on. After all 330 prisoners (and sometimes more) have been housed there. According to Governor Tim Kaine last week, it takes over $20 million per year to operate the facility. Many of the incarcerated were in drug treatment counseling programs at the prison. Some trustees traveled around in a blue bus complete with a shotgun-toting guard or two and cleared brush and rubbish from area roads.

Over 100 people will be laid off from the facility when it closes due to the budget slashing.

Nor did the PETA representatives know that in the past, inmates trained abused dogs from animal shelters to rehabilitate them for adoption and or to become service dogs. All of that is behind them. Seizing the day, they want to operate the Chicken Empathy Museum in the soon to be closed prison.

They do know by letter what is happening to chickens however. As far as the facility they feel they can use all of those buildings for a meat free restaurant and a gift shop along with the museum, stated Byrne. And, indeed they have had a lot of phone calls due to the AP wire story!

Said Byrne, "If the people of Virginia learned the truth about the way these animals (chickens) are treated on corporate farms and slaughter houses, they would support such a museum." She said PETA hopes the governor will call them back and discuss the details and look at the undercover videos of the abused chickens. He will understand the need, she said.