A police officer in New York state is catching some serious flak from co-workers for making an unusual rescue while responding to a fire last weekend.
Body camera footage released by the Ossining Police Department shows Officer Patrick McGovern, 35, entering a burning shed before discovering a chicken hiding behind some propane tanks.
"I was trying to move the tanks away from the fire, and there it was — a chicken was just sitting there," McGovern told TODAY.
"Now, it's not that we don't ... love chickens. They're just fine and certainly deserve our assistance," the department captioned the Facebook video. "It's just that, if you ever wanted to get a hard time from your co-workers, be a hero ... to a chicken."
McGovern is seen in the video ushering the clucking chicken up the stairs as he carries it to safety.
"I got your chicken," he tells the family.
No other animals could be seen in the video, and McGovern says he has no idea why that chicken was there.
"They were just happy I was able to find it," he said.
But McGovern says his fellow officers aren't as impressed with his heroism.
"I've been the butt of constant jokes; my Facebook page is insane right now," McGovern said. "I've been called the Chicken Whisperer."
The whole department apparently saw the humor in the rescue. It also made light of the video on Twitter.
"When we got our @axon_us Body Cameras we knew they would capture greatness! #ChickenRescue," it captioned the video.
McGovern doesn't seem to mind being teased for saving the bird. In fact — he wants one for himself someday.
"I keep trying to convince my wife, but with two children we run around enough as it is," he said. "Definitely later on, though."