SAN DIEGO - Animal control personnel came to the aid of a Muscovy duck that was gravely injured by a crossbow Wednesday at an Oak Park-area man-made lake.
A city maintenance worker found the wounded bird, which still had five arrows in its body, at Chollas Heights Reservoir off College Grove Drive about 7 a.m.
"We don't know how this happened, but certainly this is something that was done maliciously to this animal. We don't know how long the duck had been in this condition" said David Johnson, the animal medical operations manager.
"They made this bird a pincushion," said county Department of Animal Services Lt. Dan DeSousa said, adding that one of the projectiles pierced the duck's head.
Dr. Jeffrey Jenkins, an avian veterinarian, operated on the bird. He said it should survive the attack.
"He's a very lucky duck. You've heard that expression before" said Jenkins. "When he came in here he had this bouquet of arrows sticking out of his head and neck."
He continued, "it looked like someone had tried to finish him off, he had an arrow that went down the top of his head and came out below."
There were no known witnesses to the crime, which could constitute felony animal abuse, according to Animal Services officials.
"Whoever did this cowardly and malicious act needs to be brought to justice," DAS Director Dawn Danielson said.
"This will be felony animal cruelty charges, this will be time in state prison if we can track this person down" said DeSousa.
Anyone with information on the incident was asked to call DeSousa at (619) 767-2624
