Activists furious as rescued ducks were sold off like chicken—what happened in Riverside

Hundreds of ducks seized after an Anza sanctuary investigation were adopted quickly in Riverside. Activists accuse some of being flipped for resale and possibly slaughter. Officials say the rush was necessary.

A flood of duck adoptions in Riverside County turned into a public outcry almost as fast as the birds found new homes.

Misryoum reports that around 500 ducks were taken in on April 14 after concerns about overcrowding and improper care at a sanctuary in Anza.. The facility, Duck Sanctuary in Anza, is associated with Howard Berkowitz.. The county’s Animal Services department said the intake was its largest in more than a decade, a scale that immediately strained shelter capacity and set up a high-pressure timeline.

The controversy sharpened on April 15, when Animal Services opened adoptions at a San Jacinto Valley shelter on a first-come, first-served basis and waived fees.. Within hours, roughly 270 ducks were claimed by a Norco business identified as Matt’s Livestock.. According to posts that spread quickly online, the birds were then listed for resale on Facebook, prompting activists to question whether the adoptions were being used as a shortcut to move animals into the food supply.

That fear wasn’t just theoretical for advocates.. Some community members raised concerns that certain buyers intended to eat the ducks.. One example cited in the backlash involved a Facebook user who said he took 11 ducks and referenced cockfighting.. Even without knowing the full intent behind each purchase, the speed and volume of the adoptions made it easier for critics to assume the worst—especially when the ducks appeared in resale listings so soon after leaving the shelter.

Berkowitz, for his part, said he would only surrender ducks if they were going to sanctuaries, not other hands.. In comments reported by Misryoum, he framed his life’s work with the birds as something he built over years, and argued that the animals were sent to the wrong destination.. He also said officials should “pay for what they did,” a stance that reflects the anger some rescuers feel when a rescue is perceived to have failed after the handoff.

Rescue groups say they were caught off guard.. Darcy Smith of Funky Chicken Rescue told Misryoum that she had offered to take 50 ducks, and said other sanctuaries were prepared with vetted homes.. Her point went beyond the numbers: the worry is not only that the ducks could end up in harmful situations, but that the county appeared to skip the slower, more careful matching process that sanctuaries use to prevent backsliding.

Animal advocates also pushed the case further by citing health and disclosure concerns.. Misryoum reports that some ducks were said to have zoonotic diseases, and critics accused the agency of releasing animals without adequate disclosure.. County officials defended the rush, describing the situation as a capacity problem—one that, in their view, left them with few options short-term.

The human impact here is complicated.. For activists and foster networks, adoption is supposed to mean rehabilitation, not a quick transfer.. When hundreds of animals move in a single day, the system can start to resemble a market, and that is exactly what critics say happened.. For the public, the imagery is stark: a rescue that begins with a public-health concern ends with online sale posts, and the emotional reaction becomes immediate—anger, disbelief, and a demand for accountability.

There’s also a broader pattern behind the headlines.. When authorities seize large numbers of animals, the path to safety depends on planning, outreach, and the ability to place animals with appropriate partners.. Misryoum’s reporting suggests the county acted fast because it had to.. But speed can collide with ethics when the goal is not only placement, but placement that protects animals from the next harm they may face.

Misryoum reports that by April 16, Animal Services said all ducks had been adopted.. After the backlash, Berkowitz said he was stepping away from animal rescue altogether, saying he is “done.” Whether the dispute ends in changes to procedures or simply hardens positions, one thing is clear from the response: in high-stakes rescues, the handoff matters just as much as the seizure—and the public is watching how quickly officials move when hundreds of living beings are at the center of the story.