Irvine man arrested after allegedly killing a duckling, dumping others in the trash - BERITAJA

An Orange County man has been arrested aft constabulary opportunity he scooped up immoderate ducklings from a section park, killed 1 and threw them successful a trash can.

Randall Bertsch, 71, was arrested connected suspicion of animal cruelty by Irvine constabulary aft the incident connected Wednesday morning, the section said successful a news release.

Around 10:52 a.m., Bertsch, of Irvine, gathered immoderate ducklings from a organization excavation adjacent Morena and Segura and put them successful a box, according to an Irvine Police Department news release.

Bertsch allegedly utilized a integrative trash bin and struck immoderate of the ducklings earlier throwing them into the trash, according to the release.

One duckling was recovered dormant and different had terrible caput trauma, according to police. The injured duckling was treated astatine a veterinary session while the different ducklings escaped the area pinch the mother duck.

Irvine Police’s Animal Services Unit began an investigation and recovered Bertsch astatine his home, authorities said. They executed a hunt warrant astatine the location and arrested Bertsch connected suspicion of animal cruelty.

“We want to guarantee the organization that the protection and use of animals successful our metropolis remains a precocious priority,” constabulary wrote successful the release. “As a reminder, migratory birds are federally protected and, successful about cases, cannot beryllium moved aliases relocated, including those that nest adjacent pools. We convey the organization members who reported this incident and assisted our officers.”

If you request assistance pinch wildlife, the constabulary section has urged group to interaction Animal Services astatine 949-724-7000.