200 ducks found in Southern California box truck after owner dies

(KTLA) — About 200 ducks were recovered and safely transported from a box truck in Palmdale, California, on Wednesday after their owner died, officials said.

“This morning, our Palmdale ACC officers responded to a heartbreaking and unusual situation,” the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control said in a Facebook post.

The circumstances surrounding the owner’s death were unclear, but the California Highway Patrol asked animal control officers to assist after the ducks were found inside the truck.

“With no information about where the ducks were going or who was responsible for them, our priority was clear: get them to safety,” the department said.

The ducks are currently being housed and cared for as ACC officers work to determine where they came from and what to do next.

Lancaster and Castaic ACC officers were also thanked in the post for collaborating on the rescue. “When the unexpected occurs, teamwork and compassion matter,” the department wrote.

Anyone with information that may help in the investigation is asked to contact the CHP at 661-743-6060 or the DACC North County Communications Center at 661-940-4191.