Never Take An Injured Animal or Bird To Project Wildlife

The Mallard Story

Inspired by True Events from Santee, California 2017

Every winter since buying our home in Santee Lakes during 2012, two Mallard ducks would arrive in Autumn and hang around our backyard pool until summertime. Their arrival was very frequent, specific and routine every year since. My wife and I jokingly named them “the couple” because, like us, they were always together, appearing to be inseparable.

Year after year, they would show up and frolic in our pool, our dog would chase them around (trying to scare them off) but they would just swim to other side of the pool over and over again. It was entertaining to say the least, as most other ducks were afraid of our dog and would instantly fly away upon our dog’s approach; but not these two Mallards, they were fearless and “unfeathered” by her appearance, and made themselves at home regardless.

Our area is also littered with coyotes, so at night, these two inseparable Mallards would land in our pool, and spend the night on the Jacuzzi wall, snuggled up with each other with their wings tucked in underneath, rather than face the dangerous predators of the Santee Lakes and Mission Trails. These ducks felt safe and secure on our property, even with our crazy Weimaraner roaming in their midst.

But in June 2017, something horrible happened to one of these lovable yet uninvited guests, something that no animal lover ever wants to see; an injured animal. Unfortunately, the female Mallard somehow injured her left wing leaving her ABLE to swim; but UNABLE to fly.

My wife and I were obviously very concerned about her and wanted to help, so we assisted her into our pool so she could get water, and then fed her (and she was STARVING, you could tell, because she was scarfing it down and the male was just watching and not eating it). We feel that they came to us because our home was their safe-haven. Although that was certainly true, there was one thing these ducks did not anticipate; our stupidity!!!

After noticing the injury, we decided to reach out to Wildlife Assist, an all-volunteer organization that offers “free search-and-rescue services for wildlife in trouble”, she referred me to San Diego County Animal Services, which came by to take the injured duck. I asked where he was taking her, the officer stated “I am taking her to Project Wildlife” in San Diego, when asking about the male duck, as I didn't want to separate them because they were always together, he heartlessly stated, “Don’t worry, he’ll find another girlfriend, there’s plenty of them out there”.

THIS IS WHEN I REALIZED WE MADE A GRAVE MISTAKE!!! My wife called “Project Wildlife” afterwards to check on her status and they told us, “She was euthanized due to quality-of-life”. REALLY??!! So death is a better quality-of-life than living in our pool indefinitely?! They didn’t even TRY to save her!!!!! Other than her injured wing, she was fine! We would have paid anything and did anything to save her!

When looking at their website, it shows them saving and caring for animals and releasing them into the wild! What a deceiving, dishonest and misleading load of CRAP!!! If we brought in an endangered species, maybe they would have tried something, but it was just a mere Mallard duck. Just as the County animal officer stated, “There’s plenty of them around”. Well NOT THIS ONE!! This one was like our pet, she was our friend and a beloved animal that had people, a dog and a male duck that cared deeply about her. If we knew they were going to just KILL HER, we would have just kept her in my pool and cared for her on our own.

I’m telling this story so others don’t make the same mistake, if you find a wild animal in which you have no emotional attachment, and don’t mind putting them “out of their misery” then call Animal Services and they can drop them at “Project Wildlife” to be euthanized, however, if you actually CARE about them and want to SAVE them, try and care for them on your own, because Animal Services and “Project Wildlife” WILL JUST KILL THEM!!!