Particle.news
Download on the App Store
26 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

Supreme Court Clears Way for CFIA to Cull B.C. Ostrich Flock

CFIA says the cull will proceed under its stamping‑out policy to contain H5N1 after the farm’s final bid for a hearing was refused.

Ostriches are seen at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C., on May 17.
Image
Signs protesting the cull line the fences that surround the farm.
Police vehicles are pictured at the Universal Ostrich Farms property in Edgewood, B.C., this morning.

Overview

  • Canada’s Supreme Court declined to hear Universal Ostrich Farms’ appeal, lifting a stay and removing the last legal barrier to a cull of roughly 300 to 330 birds.
  • The CFIA said it will move forward with “complete depopulation” and disposal, has maintained custody of the flock since September, and has not released a public timetable.
  • The cull order followed a Dec. 31, 2024 detection of H5N1 after a flu outbreak that killed 69 birds, with RCMP assisting CFIA operations and arrests recorded during earlier confrontations.
  • Farm owners and supporters argue the surviving birds are healthy, may have developed immunity, and hold research value, while the CFIA says apparently healthy ostriches can still spread the virus and it has seen no evidence of research.
  • Controversy over possible methods intensified after a CFIA manual detailed euthanasia procedures for large birds, as advocacy groups urged fresh testing and the agency warned that obstructing officials could lead to criminal penalties.