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.
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“This is the largest intake of any species for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services in probably the past decade,” Perez said, per KABC.
Animal control officers had inspected the property leading up to the large-scale removal as part of an ongoing investigation. Limited assessments showed the animals did not receive adequate caretaking, RCDAS said.
How the Riverside County Duck Surrender Unfolded
According to RCDAS, the department had been aware of the property owner’s intent to maintain an animal sanctuary for the birds. But as the flock grew, conditions deteriorated beyond what the owner could manage. Perez described the intervention as a collaborative process rather than a confrontation, noting that the property owner is currently cooperating with the department to coordinate placement of the animals.
“Really, it was working with the property owner to say, ‘Hey, let’s find better placement for these animals given the severe overcrowding,’” Perez said.
Experts Explain the Health Toll of Duck Overcrowding
For anyone invested in animal welfare, the health consequences of overcrowding are deeply concerning. RCDAS Chief Veterinarian Dr. Itzel Vizcarra explained the clinical reality facing the rescued flock.
“Overcrowding can contribute to stress and decreased immune function,” Dr. Vizcarra said. “Inadequate nutrition, particularly vitamin A deficiency, can impair the lining of the digestive tract, predisposing birds to inflammation and secondary illness.”
Prior to the removal operation, RCDAS coordinated with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to test a sample of the animals for zoonotic infectious diseases. All results came back negative. Perez elaborated on the broader health picture.
“Given the scale of overcrowding that we were seeing, it prompted us to say, ‘It’s best to test some of the animals to see if there was anything going on,’” Perez said. “And so we were able to get a sample to test for infectious diseases, and they all came back negative. But with the scale of overcrowding, if they were in a better environment, they might not be as stressed. They might not have maybe some of the deficiencies in vitamins maybe that they could be having.”
RCDAS noted the primary recommendation for recovery is improved caretaking, including appropriate stocking density, sanitation practices and a balanced nutritionally complete diet.
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Rescuers Are Hoping for Quick Adoptions for Riverside County Ducks
The sheer number of birds has placed enormous pressure on a facility never designed to house waterfowl at this volume. RCDAS Assistant Director Dr. Kimberly Youngberg emphasized the urgency in an April 14 news release.
“This large-scale operation requires intense coordination across our department, and our main priority is the safe transport and intake of these animals today,” Dr. Youngberg said. “We cannot provide long-term shelter care for this number of animals so it’s important we work quickly to find placement with rescues, adopters and organizations willing to assist this week.”
All adoption fees were waived, and the ducks were made available at the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus beginning April 15. Perez noted that placement requires some thoughtfulness, since ducks have specific social needs.
“Ducks are actually flock animals and they want to be around companions,” Perez said.
A Couple Stepped Up to Adopt 20 Ducks
The community response has already been encouraging. Daniel Markichevich and his fiancée, Savannah Burgardt, visited the shelter with plans to adopt 20 ducks for their San Jacinto property — complete with a recently built backyard pond.
“We have a 3.5-acre farm, so they will just go right into the area and enjoy, and we’ll get out there and look at them, eat their eggs and have a whole full life for them,” Markichevich said.
“I love them. They’re adorable. I wish I could take more,” Burgardt added.
How to Adopt Riverside County’s Rescued Ducks
The investigation into the scale of overcrowding on the property remains ongoing. Adoption efforts have continued as authorities monitor the situation and work through assessments related to the sanctuary and its operations.
Rescue organizations and individuals interested in adopting can contact the department by emailing shelterinfo@rivco.org. Adopters must bring appropriate carriers for transport and should check with their city or local jurisdiction regarding ordinance restrictions on the number of waterfowl permitted per household, as regulations vary by location.
