Just over a week after Riverside County animal services officials found 480 ducks living in overcrowded, outdoor enclosures, all the ducks had been taken, the result of what authorities described as a “cooperative and cooperative” effort.
The Riverside County Animal Care Department found the ducks Tuesday after investigating an overcrowding situation in unincorporated Riverside County, according to the agency. The birds were taken to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, where officials asked the public and rescue organizations to help place them starting Wednesday.
According to a social media update from the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, all 480 ducks were rescued or adopted, marking one of the department’s largest take-and-place efforts in more than a decade.
“This large-scale operation requires extensive coordination and communication throughout our department,” Riverside County officials said on social media.
Animal service officials could not be reached to say who took the animals and whether they were taken as pets or food. But Daniel Markichevich told KABC that he and his fiancee Savannah Burgardt visited the San Jacinto shelter on Wednesday and plan to welcome 20 ducks into their San Jacinto home.
“We have a 3.5-hectare farm, so they will just come into this place and enjoy themselves, and we will go out there to look after them, eat their eggs and have a full life for them,” said Markichevich, who recently finished building a pond behind their house.
An animal shelter in Vacaville, called Funky Chicken Rescue, took in eight ducks, according to social media.
Officials said the owner of the ducks originally intended to build a sanctuary, but animal control officials ultimately decided the conditions warranted intervention, citing improper husbandry and concerns over the number of pet birds.
Before taking the ducks, the animal services agency contacted the California Department of Food and Agriculture to test a sample of the ducks for zoonotic diseases, according to the state. All results came back negative but early tests revealed the birds were not receiving proper care, according to authorities.
“Overcrowding can contribute to stress and reduce immune function,” said Itzel Vizcarra, chief veterinarian of the animal services center, in a statement. Malnutrition, especially vitamin A deficiency, can affect the lining of the digestive tract, making birds vulnerable to inflammation and secondary illness.
The rapid deployment effort was funded by community donations, including more than 70 bags of waterfowl food donated by a local business, according to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.
Although the ducks now have new homes, officials said the investigation into overcrowding conditions at the original location is ongoing.
