Duck Dumping Overwhelms Las Vegas Animal Sanctuary

Las Vegas, NV – The Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary in Las Vegas is facing an unexpected challenge: an influx of abandoned ducks. While the sanctuary aims to provide a safe haven for animals, the growing number of ducks being dumped on their property is creating a strain on resources and raising concerns about disease.

“I get asked a lot to take in ducks, geese, chickens, and right now my numbers are too high where I can’t take any in,” said Jennifer Langford, executive director of the sanctuary. Langford explained that people are increasingly abandoning their unwanted ducks by tossing them over the sanctuary’s fence or leaving them at the gate.

This “duck dumping” trend has created several problems for the non-profit. Limited space and resources make it difficult to care for the constant influx of new birds. Furthermore, the inability to properly quarantine the abandoned ducks poses a serious health risk to the sanctuary’s existing bird population.

“If the bird flu comes in, every bird on the property would have to be put down. We don’t want that disease,” Langford explained, highlighting the importance of their 30-day quarantine protocol, which is impossible to follow with dumped animals.

The financial burden is also significant. Recently, the sanctuary had to spend an extra $1,000 to build a new coop to house abandoned chickens. Langford expressed frustration with the situation, emphasizing that the sanctuary is receiving daily calls from people wanting to surrender ducks and chickens.

She urged parents to be more responsible when considering birds or ducks as pets for their children, emphasizing the long-term commitment involved in caring for these animals. The Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary hopes to raise awareness about this issue and encourage responsible pet ownership to prevent further instances of animal abandonment.

Source: 8 News Now