April 16, 2026, 2:15 p.m. ET
Nearly 500 ducks have found new homes after they were surrendered to an animal services department in Southern California.
The Riverside County Department of Animal Services saw its biggest intake of animals in the past decade when 480 ducks were surrendered to them, according to spokesperson Veronica Perez.
The ducks were surrendered by a property owner in unincorporated Riverside County, the department announced on Tuesday, April 14. It described the surrendering of ducks as “the result of overcrowding at the property.”
“Overcrowding can contribute to stress and decreased immune function,” said Itzel Vizcarra, the department’s chief veterinarian, in a statement. “Inadequate nutrition, particularly vitamin A deficiency, can impair the lining of the digestive tract, predisposing birds to inflammation and secondary illness.”
The department said it was aware that the property owner “intended to maintain an animal sanctuary for the birds.”
“Recent investigations revealed the need for action to remove the animals from the property due to improper husbandry,” the department said.
However, the department said it couldn’t provide “long-term shelter care” for the hundreds of ducks and called on the public and rescue organizations to help.
All the ducks were either adopted or rescued on Wednesday, April 15, according to Perez.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
