It was mess on the Interstate 190 ramp into downtown Buffalo when a truck carrying about 10,000 live chickens, bound for Ontario, Canada, tipped over. Police say it was going to fast around the curve. "His load shifted. He lost control of the vehicle. It flipped over. As it jack knifed it landed in the center median area and the load dispersed." said Nigrelli.

Hundreds of chickens were killed on scene, but hundreds more were running free along the highway. A massive clean-up and recovery effort was launched. The Erie County SPCA, highway workers, and state police were called into them round up. "In over 20 years of police work every time I say I've seen it all, something else tops it and as I'm standing in the midst of all these chickens, there coming home to roost." said New York State Police Captain Michael Nigrelli.

Those that survived, but appeared to be injured, were taken to the Erie County SPCA to be examined. Sick and injured birds can't legally be transported. The SPCA took in more than 23-hundred chickens. One hundred and 47 were dead when they arrived, another 50 had to be euthanized. It was a nightmare scenario for workers and volunteers. The stench was so bad they had to wear masks. "There were chickens who were already dead. There was blood all over. There eggs all over. There were chickens with broken necks as they were trying to escape. It was.... I can't describe it. It was a horrible scene, something that we have never seen at the SPCA." said Gina Browning.

The birds that were ok went back in their crates, loaded up on to a truck, and back en-route to Canada. But the images they left behind at the SPCA won't be forgotten any time soon. "Once everybody has time to think about it. Once it really sinks in. I think this is an image that is going to stay with everybody." said Browning.