Reichardt Duck Farm
A dead duck left to decompose on the wire flooring at Reichardt Duck Farm in Petaluma, Sonoma County.
Reichardt Duck Farm is the largest duck farm in California. This facility confines 200,000 ducks on wire floors with no access to the outdoors or to water for swimming, a critical natural behavior for ducks. Animal cruelty and neglect has been documented at Reichardt Duck Farm for over a decade, including
Diseased ducks left to die without veterinary care, including ducks unable to walk to food or water
Ducks being swung around by their necks by workers
Ducklings stuck in the wire flooring
Dead ducks left amongst the living
Ducks with dangerous diseases including E. coli, Riemerella anatipestifer, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Aerococcus viridans, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, some of which can spread to humans
Painful foot injuries due to the wire flooring
In addition to this rampant cruelty and disease, Reichardt Duck Farm has been sued for violating the Clean Water Act. The facility produces upwards of 200,000 gallons of liquid manure every single day, which is stored in several large manure lagoons that seep into the groundwater, affecting local wildlife in addition to humans.
Despite over a decade of reported criminal animal cruelty and a Clean Water Act lawsuit, Reichardt Duck Farm continues business as usual.