The family operating the British Columbia ostrich farm where 400 birds have been ordered culled say about 40 supporters have arrived on scene in anticipation of a possible showdown with federal authorities.
In the meantime, the Regional District of Central Kootenay says it has received an operational certificate from the provincial Environment Ministry for its landfill in Castlegar, B.C., to handle the disposal of the avian influenza-infected waste, if the culling of the ostriches occurs.
Katie Pasitney, whose parents own Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C., says the family is vowing to fight for the survival of the ostriches through legal means, but has already seen supporters to their cause call in from across Canada and the United States.
In a video message posted on Facebook, Pasitney’s mother Karen urged supporters to “come surround the farm” and “don’t let them do this to these beautiful animals.”
The development comes as a Federal Court judge rejected the farm’s bid for a judicial review of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s order to kill the flock last year after an avian flu outbreak on the farm.
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The family says the animals that survived the outbreak have recovered and are happy and healthy, having developed what Pasitney says is “herd immunity” to the virus, which makes the birds more valuable to researchers alive than dead.
“We’re 135 kilometres away from a major city, Vernon, British Columbia,” Pasitney says of the low contamination risk posed by the family farm.
“We are not around any commercial poultry facilities. We are not a farm of consumption. So, how are we going to save the world by killing all of our animals, rather than using them as a potential benefit?”
Regional District of Central Kootenay spokesman Dan Elliott says they received the landfill certificate to possibly handle the dead ostriches in January, adding the district has not received any information on when a possible cull would happen.
“In response to the need to manage avian influenza disease, the Regional District of Central Kootenay has received an operational certificate from the provincial Ministry of Environment and Parks to handle the disposal of the avian influenza-infected waste if the culling of the ostriches goes ahead,” Elliott says.
B.C. Premier David Eby says the province has been frustrated by the actions of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and while they understand the need to contain the avian flu, there’s a lack of ability to evaluate on a case-by-case basis.
“I hope the federal government looks very carefully at appropriate compensation to ensure they’re made whole, and not that that can fill in for the massive loss that they’ve seen,” Eby said at news conference on a separate event.
The Federal Court ruling said the family could be compensated to a maximum of $3,000 for each bird.
Meanwhile, an animal law group has urged the federal government to pause the cull and consider “whether killing the birds still makes sense considering how much time has passed since the initial order was issued.”
“Avian flu is a devastating disease that must be taken seriously, but these ostriches shouldn’t be forced to pay for the failures of a broken system,” says Animal Justice director of legal advocacy Kaitlyn Mitchell. “Avian flu outbreaks are exacerbated by rampant factory farming, yet it’s the individual birds who pay the ultimate price.”
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