A fleet of county trucks and a coordinated rescue crew moved 200 live ducks from a sealed box truck in Palmdale to safety within hours of discovering the driver had died, underscoring how quickly animal-control protocol kicks in when livestock is left unattended on California roads.
Discovery on the 14th
California Highway Patrol officers flagged down Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control units late Tuesday morning, Jan. 14, after finding a stationary box truck north of Los Angeles in Palmdale with its cargo of approximately 200 ducks still locked inside.
The driver—identified only as the birds’ guardian—had been found deceased beside the vehicle, leaving no documentation about the flock’s destination or ownership, People reports.
Counties Combine Forces
Because the truck sat near the intersection of three patrol zones—Lancaster, Palmdale, and Castaic—staff from each center pooled trailers, cages, and water containers to move the birds in a single coordinated lift. All 200 ducks reached care centers without injury, a department spokesperson said.
Legal Owner Steps Forward
Less than 24 hours later, representatives from Never Ending Quails, a licensed live-fowl supplier in the Central Valley, produced shipping invoices and claimed the flock. After micro-chip scans matched farm records, the department released every bird into the company’s transport Thursday morning, eliminating the need for a public adoption process.
Why This Case Matters
California code requires anyone hauling livestock to carry ownership papers and contingency contact numbers. When a driver becomes incapacitated, those missing details can trigger full animal-control seizures, costly boarding, and legal hearings. Officials used this incident to remind haulers that a simple envelope of paperwork taped inside the cab can prevent days of bureaucratic limbo.
Happy Endings Elsewhere
Wednesday’s rescue is the latest in a string of duck saves across the state. In 2021, Hayward police Officer Susan Perez coaxed 11 ducklings from a storm drain by playing mallard calls from her phone, a maneuver later cited by other departments.
That same spring, a rescued duckling named Freda returned to an English couple’s garden with 11 hatchlings of her own, highlighting how quickly waterfowl bounce back when given sanctuary.
What’s Next
Never Ending Quails transports fowl to specialty markets throughout the Southwest. The company says the flock is already back on its regular route, and the county has closed its file. For drivers hauling animals in California, the episode serves as a blueprint: keep paperwork visible, know your nearest animal-control number, and never assume a routine stop can’t turn into front-page news.
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