480 Ducks Surrendered By 'Illegal Sanctuary' Operator In Riverside County

SAN JACINTO, CA — Nearly 500 ducks taken in during a Riverside County Department of Animal Services investigation are up for adoption, and the agency is asking interested parties to act quickly.

The waterfowl were surrendered by a resident under investigation for maintaining an illegal sanctuary where overcrowding had become a significant problem, raising concerns about the ducks' welfare, according to an announcement Tuesday from the Department of Animal Services.

Howard Berkowitz, who runs The Duck Sanctuary in Anza, was identified as the sanctuary operator.

Animal control officers had previously visited the site. However, the situation was ultimately deemed inadequate, animal services officials said.

In total, 480 ducks were surrendered. No arrests or charges were announced.

"Our main priority is the safe transport and intake of these animals," Department of Animal Services Assistant Director Kimberly 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."

According to the Department of Animal Services, Prior to the surrender, "RCDAS coordinated with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to test a sample of the animals for zoonotic infectious diseases, which were all negative results. Limited assessments show the animals did not receive adequate caretaking."

Chief Veterinarian Dr. Itzel Vizcarra said overcrowding often leads to "stress and decreased immune function" among species.

"Inadequate nutrition, particularly vitamin A deficiency, can impair the lining of the digestive tract, predisposing birds to inflammation and secondary illness," Vizcarra said.

In spring 2024, Berkowitz was looking for a new place to house his flock. He was relocating to avoid a lawsuit with neighbors in Wildomar, he told Patch.

At the time, Berkowitz said he was attempting to raise $250,000 to purchase a 20-acre parcel of land in Aguanga.

Now, all his ducks have been placed at the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, which will open at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The campus is located at 581 S. Grand Ave. in San Jacinto.

Individuals and nonprofit rescue groups were invited to visit, see the ducks, and start the adoption process immediately. All adoption fees will be waived. Prior to taking any ducks home, however, residents were encouraged to double-check that keeping waterfowl would not violate municipal or other regulations.

Inquiries about the fowl can be emailed to shelterinfo@rivco.org.

—City News Service contributed to this report.