Canadian Food inspection Agency Completes Ostrich Cull at British Columbia Farm
ABBOTSFORD, British Columbia – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has completed the culling of a flock of approximately 300 to 330 ostriches at an Abbotsford, British Columbia farm, concluding a controversial effort to prevent the spread of avian influenza. The final birds were shot Thursday evening under veterinary supervision, following the Supreme Court of CanadaS decision to decline a final appeal, removing the last legal obstacle to the cull.
The decision to eliminate the flock sparked outcry from farm supporters and animal welfare advocates, who argued the ostriches were healthy and possessed “herd immunity,” perhaps offering value for scientific research. The farm owners requested the birds be tested for infection, but the CFIA maintained that even seemingly healthy ostriches could still harbor and potentially mutate the virus, posing a risk if exposed to wildlife.
The cull began around 6 p.m. Thursday, with multiple shots heard over a period of several hours, according to farm supporter Janice Tyndall, 72, who said she left the scene after listening for a couple of hours. On Friday,the holding pen where the shootings occurred was covered with blue and black tarpaulins.
The CFIA initiated the cull due to concerns about a confirmed case of avian influenza in the flock. The agency stated that allowing the ostriches to live would increase the risk of the virus mutating,potentially creating a more risky strain.
Prior to the cull, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent a letter to the CFIA president urging reconsideration, and Dr. Mehmet Oz offered his Florida ranch as a relocation site for the animals.
farm owners are eligible for up to $3,000 Canadian (US$2,136) per ostrich in compensation, according to the CFIA. In a Facebook post Friday, farm spokeswoman Katie Pasitney described the farm’s owners as “broken and can’t imagine the suffering last night. We can’t get out of bed.”