The fate of 400 ostriches that live on a farm near Edgewood B.C. in the West Kootenay region has been decided.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has ordered the entire herd at Universal Ostrich Farm be culled following an avian flu outbreak in December.
The outbreak is believed to have come from a flock of ducks that migrated to the farm.
Nearly 70 ostriches died as a result of the outbreak.
According to the farm owners, they lost about 10 per cent of their flock.
Owners of the ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farm posted on Facebook Tuesday that they are devastated by the news.
“The court’s decision accepted the CFIA’s justification under the Health of Animals Act and their use of the Stamping-Out Policy, which mandates the destruction of animals to control disease outbreaks, regardless of their health status,” the owners posted.
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“The court confirmed the CFIA’s approach, prioritizing trade obligations over the welfare of our animals.”
In addition, they have been ordered to pay $15,000 in CFIA’s legal costs.
“We are heartbroken by this outcome and uncertain about the future of our farm,” the owners said.
“As we navigate this incredibly difficult time, we ask for your patience and continued support. If you are able, please consider making a donation to help us manage the financial and emotional toll this has taken.”
At a judicial hearing last month, lawyers for Universal Ostrich Farm stated there has been no sign of illness at the farm since Jan. 15.
The CFIA’s cull order had a deadline of Feb. 1, but farm owners challenged it and in January received a reprieve from a federal judge pending a judicial review of the case.
“We think CFIA basically applied a default position to these ostriches when they have been infected with a hybrid disease, not a typical HPAI virus,” said Kelowna-based lawyer Lee Turner in April.
“The policies were not properly followed or understood.”
The case garnered widespread attention, with supporters calling on the government to review the way it handles outbreaks so that animals aren’t unnecessarily killed.
The ostriches are part of a program researching antibody production against the avian flu pandemic, which has been wiping out entire chicken farms.
Turner said in April that losing the ostriches comes at cost, potentially a missed opportunity to find a cure for other birds infected by the disease.
“They’re learning a lot from their antibodies and their immune systems,” Turner told Global News. “And so I think we would lose that. We would also have a dangerous precedent for other farmers and ranchers and I think it poses a real threat to the agricultural industry in Canada.”
In addition to saving the ostriches, Pasitney said the fight is to prompt changes to government policies and implement other measures instead of only relying on a single and immediate ‘stamping out’ order.
“They’re supposed to evolve and we just want to make the appropriate changes that would bring forth positive outcomes for others that are in the same fight,” Pasitney said.
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