Use of petting zoo at Penn frat party draws criticism

In 2007, Kahn the camel made a planned appearance at the opening of the King Tut exhibit at the Franklin Institute and was well-received, his owner recalled. Then-Gov. Ed Rendell also was in attendance at the black-tie event.

Last Friday, Kahn showed up at a fraternity party at the University of Pennsylvania. This time, however, his appearance generated criticism, as did the inclusion of a petting zoo for the Spring Fling.

Charis Matey, co-owner of the Peaceable Kingdom petting zoo in Bucks County, said the five-year-old camel was content and not abused at the Zeta Psi party, and was supervised by her staff and several nondrinking students.

George Leslie, a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Medicine, happened to pass by and took some pictures, one of which has been circulating on the Internet.

In the photo, the camel is lying down and several young women with drinks in plastic cup are standing next to him.

"It looked like a terrible scene," said Leslie, 42. "There was loud music and drunk college students everywhere."

Scott H. Reikofski, director of fraternity and sorority affairs, said he was investigating and hoped to have a resolution soon. The fraternity could not be reached for comment.

Matey said the fraternity had hired her animals for the last five years. Besides the camel, she brought goats and other farm animals for the petting zoo.

This year will be the last, she said tearfully over the phone Thursday night.

Matey said she feared that Penn students and employees who objected to the animals' presence on campus would try to ruin her business.

She said she is hired to take her animals to nursing homes, to visit autistic children, and to events such as the opening at the Franklin Institute.

She said she licensed as an exhibitor with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which inspects her animals.

"If this camel were upset" with being at the party or being around the students, Matey said, "he would be growling and kicking and spitting, not lying down."