Secaucus police car

A Secaucus woman has been arrested and charged with dumping approximately 25 ducks -- some of which were dead -- on a plot of grass at a town strip mall last week, police say.

(Journal file photo )

A Secaucus woman has been arrested and charged with dumping approximately 25 ducks -- some of which were dead -- on a plot of grass at a town strip mall last week, police say.

Qinglian Li, 37, is charged with seven counts of animal cruelty after, police say, they found her abandoning the animals at the Mall at Mill Creek around 1 p.m. Thursday.

Secaucus police Detective Sgt. Michael Torres said seven of the ducks were dead when they were found, adding that the woman transported the ducks in a vehicle and dumped them by herself.

Police said they don't know Li's motivation for dumping the ducks, or why and how she was in possession of them.

It's unclear whether police believe Li was involved in the abandonment of more than 90 ducks that were found at the same complex Saturday. The animals were rounded up by workers from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and taken to the Barnyard Sanctuary, a nonprofit sanctuary that finds homes for displaced farm pets.

Tamala Lester, founder and general manager of the Barnyard Sanctuary, told NJ Advance Media all 92 ducks are healthy and available for adoption. The ducks are about 4 months old and are of the Khaki Campbells breed, which are known for their egg production.

Anyone interested in adopting the ducks that were found Saturday can email info@barnyardsanctuary.org.