Reward Offered for Help Nabbing Duck Abuser After Locals Free Zip-Tied Birds

PETA Honors Turlock Residents for Coming to the Rescue—and Seeks Information on Culprit Who Bound Ducks’ Bills to Their Necks

For Immediate Release:
October 3, 2017

Contact:
Megan Wiltsie 202-483-7382

When Turlock residents Josh Steele-Keller, Elizabeth Stevens, Scotty Stratton, Ronnie Vasconcellos, and Tyler White walked through Donnelly Park around midnight on September 24, they made a startling discovery: a duck in obvious distress with a zip tie tightly pinning together his or her lower beak and neck. The group managed to catch the terrified animal and remove the zip tie, as seen in this video, and also freed another duck who had a zip tie fastened around his or her neck. For their quick thinking and kind actions, PETA is sending a Compassionate Action Award along with vegan cookies to the five friends.

Authorities have increased security measures in the area, but law-enforcement officials have yet to determine who placed the zip ties on the ducks, which is why PETA is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this crime.

“This group of friends acted quickly and compassionately to help these birds, who were in desperate need of assistance,” says PETA Vice President Colleen O’Brien. “PETA urges anyone with information to come forward immediately so that whoever is abusing ducks in Donnelly Park can be held responsible and stopped from hurting anyone else.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—offers tips for helping wildlife and reporting cruelty to animals on its website.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Turlock Police Department at 209-668-5550.

For more information about helping animals, please visit PETA.org.