A Hofstra University fraternity on Long Island, New York, has been suspended after video was shared on social media purportedly showing Alpha Epsilon Pi members forcing a dog to drink beer from a keg at an off-campus party.
In a five-second video that has been viewed almost 100,000 times on Twitter, a male can be seen holding a small dog over a keg while another male squirts beer into the dog's mouth.
At least two voices in the background can be heard yelling, "Let's go!"
The video was recorded Saturday at an off-campus fraternity house in Hempstead, New York, and posted on Snapchat by an Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity member, according to the Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which is investigating the incident.
Gary Rogers, a detective with the Nassau County SPCA, said the owner of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a 21-year-old senior at the school.
Rogers said he saw the dog at the house Monday and it appeared to be in good health.
"No matter what, it’s rather disturbing that someone would make this decision to do this to an animal," Rogers said. "Alcohol can be poisonous to an animal. We hear about frat hazing all the time. We shouldn’t have frat hazing to animals."
A spokeswoman for the university told NBC News on Monday that the behavior seen on the video is "unacceptable" and in violation of its Code of Community Standards.
"The University has been in communication with Alpha Epsilon Pi International headquarters, as well as with chapter members regarding this off-campus incident," the spokeswoman said. "In accordance with University policy, the chapter has been placed on interim suspension pending an investigation."
Any students identified in the video will be subject to the University’s Code of Community Standards, the spokeswoman said, which can result in a range of disciplinary actions.
Alpha Epsilon Pi was founded as a Jewish fraternity in 1913.
Jonathan Pierce, a former international president of Alpha Epsilon Pi and the fraternity's spokesman, said the Hofstra University chapter has been placed on a "cease and desist" due to suspected violations of the organization's health and safety policies.
"During this investigatory period, there can be no chapter activities," Pierce said. "We hope that we are able to use this as a teaching moment to help build better young men who are committed to our policies and our mission of developing the future leaders of the world’s Jewish communities.”
