LOS ANGELES — The Mother Goose Brigade is an all-volunteer group based in Simi Valley dedicated to taking care of domesticated pet ducks and geese that are dumped in a local park.

But now, the feathered animals are facing a potential eviction that Mother Goose Brigade is trying to prevent.

Allegra Reid, who is the creator of the Mother Goose Brigade, takes care of a flock of 16 abandoned Chinese geese and various domesticated ducks, all former pets that she says were dumped at Rancho Simi Valley Community Park.

“It’s a big problem. I would say that 50% of the ducks that are released after Easter, die,” Reid says.  

Reid has a team of 24 volunteers that rotate feedings, twice a day, up to 20 pounds of food. Many of the birds have issues that stem from malnutrition because they cannot fend for themselves in the wild.   

“We’re not trying to encourage wild birds to depend on us. We’re trying to let the domestic birds that live down here live a quality life,” she said.

But Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks district manager, Dan Paranick says his department receives weekly complaints from the public about the geese.

“There’s an overpopulation of waterfowl right now,” Paranick explains. “What’s happened is other users of the park, primarily a maintenance issue and feces and vegetation with grass and sports fields. The geese present a maintenance problem and we’ve received complaints regarding the quality of the park. “

Other alternatives have been considered, like relocating the birds to other parks or sanctuaries, but the Mother Goose Brigade has said that is not an option because the birds have formed a bonded flock and must all stay together.

Reid has vowed to protect and care for the animals no matter what happens on the city level.