An Orange County man has been arrested after police say he scooped up some ducklings from a local park, killed one and threw them in a trash can.
Randall Bertsch, 71, was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty by Irvine police after the incident on Wednesday morning, the department said in a news release.
Around 10:52 a.m., Bertsch, of Irvine, gathered some ducklings from a community pool near Morena and Segura and put them in a box, according to an Irvine Police Department news release.
Bertsch allegedly used a plastic trash bin and struck some of the ducklings before throwing them into the trash, according to the release.
One duckling was found dead and another had severe head trauma, according to police. The injured duckling was treated at a veterinary clinic while the other ducklings escaped the area with the mother duck.
Irvine Police’s Animal Services Unit began an investigation and found Bertsch at his home, authorities said. They executed a search warrant at the home and arrested Bertsch on suspicion of animal cruelty.
“We want to assure the community that the protection and welfare of animals in our city remains a high priority,” police wrote in the release. “As a reminder, migratory birds are federally protected and, in most cases, cannot be moved or relocated, including those that nest near pools. We thank the community members who reported this incident and assisted our officers.”
If you need assistance with wildlife, the police department has urged people to contact Animal Services at 949-724-7000.
