When Riverside County animal control officers arrived at an Anza, California, property that had been operating as a duck sanctuary, they found a heartbreaking scene: hundreds of birds living in overcrowded conditions with inadequate care. Now approximately 480 ducks desperately need adopters — and the clock is ticking.
The massive rescue is being called the largest intake of any species for the county shelter in roughly a decade, and adoption fees have been completely waived to help get these birds into safe homes as quickly as possible.
Riverside County’s Duck Sanctuary Rescue Is the Biggest in a Decade
The property owner voluntarily surrendered the approximately 480 ducks after officials with the Riverside County Department of Animal Services determined the sanctuary could no longer safely care for its growing flock. The birds were removed due to overcrowding and what the department described as “improper husbandry,” sparking an emergency adoption effort that has tested a shelter system built primarily for cats and dogs.
Veronica Perez, a spokesperson with Riverside County Animal Services, underscored just how unusual the situation is…