Nearly 500 ducks are looking for a new place to waddle after the owner of a troubled Southern California rescue sanctuary surrendered the birds following allegations of overcrowding and improper care — with local animal activists squawking that the situation is more “fowl” than the public knows, and that officials should have acted sooner.
The Riverside County Department of Animal Services is currently scrambling to find homes for the 480 or so webbed waifs given up by Howard Berkowitz, founder of “The Duck Sanctuary” in Anza — after agency employees reported severe overcrowding at the site.
In a statement, the department wrote that they had “been aware of the property owner’s intent to maintain an animal sanctuary for the birds, but recent investigations revealed the need for action to remove the animals from the property due to improper husbandry.”
Authorities say the situation had deteriorated to the point where animals were not receiving adequate care — prompting intervention and a desperate push to rehome the birds.
But as the county scrambles to place hundreds of ducks, backlash has exploded across social media — with activists claiming that too many warning signs were ignored.
In a Facebook video, rescue group The Shore Sanctuary blasted the situation, saying it had repeatedly raised alarms about Berkowitz.
“What was publicly presented as a ‘sanctuary’ was, in reality, a site of prolonged hoarding, neglect, and immense suffering,” the group wrote in a Facebook post yesterday. The group alleged that donations continued pouring in despite mounting concerns — and argued the mass surrender was the inevitable result of unchecked expansion.
Yesterday, the California animal rescue nonprofit took in 11 of the ducks.
Similar criticism flooded social media posts tied to the case, with commenters accusing the operator of running a so-called sanctuary that spiraled out of control. Some claimed the situation involved improper breeding, overcrowding and reliance on public donations without adequate infrastructure.
“Very sad situation that we were duped into believing was a good thing for those ducks,” one person commented online. “I even donated to him.”
Officials confirmed the ducks were removed during an investigation into conditions at the property, which had already raised red flags.
Despite the chaos, there was one piece of good news: testing found no infectious diseases among the birds, easing concerns about a wider outbreak.
Berkowitz reportedly still has about 500 ducks in his possession. The beleaguered birdman told LAist that the online quack flack led to him closing his sanctuary — and planning a move to Northern California.
He is said to be in the middle of securing a “160-acre property” — where he will house the hundreds of remaining birds.
Meanwhile, the rescued flock is currently housed at the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, where officials are offering free adoptions in a race against time to clear space.
But with hundreds still needing homes, animal advocates warn the fallout is far from over.
“This is not rescue,” the Shore Sanctuary added, after having “personally taken in numerous birds from this property” over the past couple of years. “This is not a sanctuary. Howard Berkowitz must be held accountable for the thousands of lives he has failed. Shame on Riverside Animal Control for their vile handling of this seizure.”
The Post has reached out to county officials for comment.
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