07/02/2026
Duckling Rescue Success🐥
Last Saturday afternoon, Palo Alto Animal Control responded to the corner of Loucks Avenue and Mercedes Avenue after a duckling became trapped in a storm drain.
Evidently a cat had separated the duckling from its family. The mother duck bravely tried to distract the cat, giving the duckling a chance to escape. During the commotion, two ducklings fell into the storm drain. One managed to climb out, and after waiting as long as she could, the mother eventually continued without the remaining duckling. Concerned citizens witnessed everything unfold, and one of them called Animal Control for help.
When Officer Washington arrived, the reporting parties (Alex, Kayla, and Charles) were already doing everything they could to help. Together, we spent several minutes trying to lift the storm drain grate, but it wouldn't budge. Alex suggested building up the inside of the storm drain so the duckling could climb out on its own. Since we couldn't fit our hands through the grate, we used leaves, small debris, and a rolled-up towel to create a ramp.
It worked!
Within just a couple of minutes, the determined little duckling climbed up, poked its tiny head through the grate, and made a break for freedom. Ducklings are surprisingly fast, but we managed to safely catch it before it could dash into traffic.
A huge thank you to Alex, Kayla, and Charles for their compassion, creativity, and teamwork. This rescue is a great reminder that when a community comes together, even the smallest lives can make a big impact.
