Exclusive: Founder of the Duck Sanctuary addresses future after hundreds of birds surrendered
ANZA, Calif. (KESQ) Howard Berkowitz says he is not an animal hoarder.
But county records, a string of code violations, and his own words tell a more complicated story.
KESQ News Channel 3 spoke exclusively with Berkowitz Tuesday at his current property on Cave Rock Road in Anza where he showed our cameras what he said were approximately 400 remaining birds.
Just one week earlier, Riverside County Department of Animal Services removed nearly 480 birds from his previous property on Bautista Canyon Road, also in Anza, citing overcrowding and improper husbandry.
"I'm done. I'm out. No more sanctuary," Berkowitz told KESQ. "Ultimately it falls on me. I take full responsibility. It happened. I'm sorry that it happened."
But Berkowitz also pushed back on characterizations of neglect, insisting the animals in his care were fed and watered and that he turned animals away when he could not support them.
"I am not a duck hoarder," he said. "I don't go out and solicit for these ducks."
County records obtained by KESQ tell a different story. Riverside County Code Enforcement opened a zoning case at the Bautista Canyon Road property in November 2024, documenting more than 1,000 birds on a 4.78-acre parcel zoned for no more than 20 animals.
Riverside County Department of Animal Services documented 29 separate visits to the Bautista Road property between October 2024 and October 2025. A formal warning was not issued until August 2025, ten months into that process.
In its written response to KESQ, the department said officers "witnessed overcrowding concerns impacting the animals" and were "actively working with the animal owner to gain compliance." The department said its welfare investigation into Berkowitz began in 2022 and has tracked him across four properties.
Berkowitz acknowledged he was overwhelmed. He told KESQ he had given away approximately 500 birds in the period before the county's removal because he could no longer afford to care for them.
"That's why I gave the 500 ducks away," he said. "Because I was overwhelmed. I couldn't afford to spend $300 every day."
Public records show GoFundMe campaigns associated with Berkowitz raised more than $17,000. He told KESQ he also sold personal belongings, including a collection of classic cars, to fund his operation.
Berkowitz said he has hired an attorney and intends to remain at his Cave Rock Road property.
"They can try," he said when asked whether the county could remove his remaining birds. "I've already hired a lawyer."
The Riverside County Department of Animal Services said the investigation remains open.
In a statement to News Channel 3 Tuesday night, Riverside County Animal Services said the following:
"The Riverside County Department of Animal Services took in an unprecedented 480 ducks surrendered from a property in the largest, single intake for the department in over a decade. The relinquishment was the result of overcrowding and part of an ongoing investigation regarding a property in Anza. Given our inability to provide long-term care for that many animals we urgently acted to secure placement through rescue and adoption, leaning on the public to give the animals a different outcome than the overcrowded conditions they came from. A week prior to the intake on Tuesday, April 14, our rescue team reached out to partners and known animal rescue groups in advance of sending the public call-to-action for additional rescues and adopters. Urgency was of the essence in order to not impact the planned large-scale intake or impede the ongoing investigation. To the greatest extent possible, we made an effort to give advance notice of the upcoming surrender and the immediate need for placement of hundreds of waterfowl from RCDAS possession.
The call-to-action for rescues and adopters was made in the best interest of the animals and with the understanding that RCDAS shelters adopt out animals and livestock to rescue groups and private individuals as a daily function of our mission. While we cannot provide information on any one adopter, we did adopt 293 ducks to one individual who disclosed their intent to rehome the ducks and who provided evidence they had the capacity to safely transport and temporarily house that many. This is similar to a rescue organization pulling hundreds of dogs or cats, which is common practice, and finding placement for them outside of our overcrowded shelters. The difference here is that we did not have a known relationship with this individual, which is also the case when working with new rescue groups and organizations. Additionally, it is routine and expected for rescue organizations to rehome animals by charging a fee to individuals who adopt animals. We follow a barrier-free adoption model that places trust in our community to act in the best interest of the animals leaving our shelters. We are not in the position to inspect the property of adopters or rescue organizations prior to finalizing adoptions due to the impact of timely placement of animals and our own resources. In this case, adopters and rescues were advised to ensure compliance with their city or local jurisdiction regarding ordinance restrictions on the number of ducks permitted per property, as regulations vary by location.
If there is credible information that any individual or rescue that adopted animals from our shelters are violating the law in regard to animal cruelty or neglect, we ask the public to email us at shelterinfo@rvico.org and we will investigate as appropriate. An ongoing investigation at the property in Anza remains open."
