A months-long battle between a British Columbia ostrich farm and the federal government ended in heartbreak Thursday night as all remaining birds were shot dead under a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) order to cull the flock following an avian flu outbreak.
The CFIA confirmed Friday that a “professional marksman” carried out the mass cull at the farm in Edgewood, B.C., describing it as the most humane and practical method available. Between 300 and 330 ostriches were killed under veterinary supervision after the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear the farmers’ final appeal earlier that morning, removing the last legal barrier to the operation.
“The CFIA has now started the disposal stage of the disease response,” the agency said in a statement, noting the use of shooting as a last-resort measure, consistent with guidelines from the Canadian and American Veterinary Medical Associations.
By Friday, the once-bustling farm was silent. The large holding pen that had been filled with birds stood empty, covered with blue tarps and black sheeting concealing the aftermath. Witnesses said the shooting continued for hours, beginning around 6 p.m. and resuming again near midnight under floodlights, while supporters of the farm gathered nearby, shouting for authorities to stop the cull.
“It was devastating,” said Janice Tyndall, a 72-year-old farmer from Salmon Arm who stayed near the property. “I could hear the gunfire for hours. I felt every shot.”
The RCMP maintained a heavy presence during the cull, blocking nearby roads amid what they described as “weeks of threats and intimidation” toward CFIA staff. Officers paused the operation briefly during a shift change but reported no injuries or arrests.
Farm co-owner Karen Espersen’s daughter, Katie Pasitney, said in a Facebook post that the family was “broken and can’t imagine the suffering last night.”
The owners had fought the cull order since it was issued on December 31, arguing that their ostriches were healthy and had developed herd immunity, which could have made them valuable for research. They repeatedly asked the CFIA to test the birds for infection, but the agency declined, citing the risk of the virus mutating if the flock remained exposed to wildlife.
Critics have accused the CFIA of overreach and a lack of transparency, while the agency has defended its decision as necessary to prevent further spread of avian influenza.
Farm supporters now describe the event as a tragic example of government overreach and bureaucratic rigidity. “It’s going to ruin their lives,” said Tyndall. “They were just trying to protect their animals.”
The CFIA said the farmers will be eligible for compensation of up to $3,000 per ostrich.