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 โthe spreadโข ofโค avian influenza. The final birds were shot Thursday evening under veterinary supervision, followingโค 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 supportersโ and animal welfare advocates, who argued the ostriches were healthy and possessed “herd immunity,” perhaps offering value for scientific research. The farm ownersโฃ requested the birds be tested for infection, butโ the CFIA maintained that even seemingly healthy ostriches couldโข still harbor and potentially mutate the virus, posing a risk if exposed to wildlife.
The cull began around 6โฃ p.m. Thursday, with multiple shots heard over a period of several hours, accordingโฃ to farm supporter Janice Tyndall, โข72, โwho 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 โblack tarpaulins.
The CFIA initiated the cull due to concerns about โฃa 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 presidentโ urging reconsideration, and Dr. Mehmet Oz โฃoffered hisโ Florida ranchโ as a relocation site for the animals.
farm โowners are eligible for up to $3,000 Canadian (US$2,136) per ostrich in compensation, accordingโ to the โCFIA. In a Facebook post Friday, farm spokeswoman Katieโ Pasitney described the farm’s owners as “broken and โcan’t imagine the โฃsuffering last night. We can’tโข get out of bed.”