The owners of a southeastern B.C. ostrich farm have been told to vacate their property by Tuesday or face removal by police as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) prepares to cull their flock following an outbreak of avian influenza.
RCMP and CFIA officers arrived at Universal Ostrich Farms on Monday, serving a warrant after the virus killed 69 of the farm’s birds. Roughly 400 ostriches remain. Video posted by Katie Pasitney, whose mother co-owns the farm, shows a CFIA official telling the family they could stay overnight in the birds’ pen but warned there would be “consequences” if they refused to leave by the next day.
The farmers have waged a lengthy battle against the order, taking their case through multiple levels of court and arguing the surviving birds are now healthy and scientifically valuable. They have repeatedly demanded fresh testing to prove the ostriches are free of the virus, but the CFIA maintains the flock was infected with a lethal strain and must be destroyed to protect animal health.
Pasitney said Monday the farm’s lawyer was filing paperwork to have the case urgently considered by the Supreme Court of Canada. In the meantime, the CFIA has asserted control over the property and signaled that the cull will proceed.
The standoff has drawn local attention and emotional support for the farmers, who insist their flock can be saved. For the CFIA, however, the priority remains containment of avian influenza—regardless of how high the stakes are for the family and their birds.