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5h ago

Tribunal Upholds $10,000 Fine for B.C. Ostrich Farm Over Failure to Report Avian Flu

The ruling cites a negligent failure to use the CFIA's Sick Bird Line despite clear signs of disease.

CFIA employees in protective suits interact with ostriches near a cull enclosure located by the Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C., after the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear the farm’s appeal against an order to cull more than 300 of its ostriches on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Hemens
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Overview

  • The Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal found Universal Ostrich in Edgewood failed to promptly notify authorities about sick and dying birds in December 2024.
  • CFIA was first alerted on Dec. 28, 2024 by an anonymous hotline call, weeks after bird deaths began on the farm.
  • Testing confirmed a highly pathogenic H5 subtype of avian influenza in the flock.
  • The tribunal said the owners were required to call a veterinary inspector through the CFIA hotline, rejecting reliance on attempts to reach a private vet or on inspector advice.
  • The flock was later culled by CFIA-commissioned marksmen in November 2025 after court challenges and protests did not stop the order.