The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has raised concerns about potential health risks to both animals and humans due to the delay in conducting the cull of ostriches at a farm in British Columbia. The agency stated on Friday that they will continue to provide veterinary oversight and use feed from the regular suppliers of Universal Ostrich Farms to sustain the birds. The exact count of ostriches on the farm, estimated to be between 300 and 330, is still being determined, with ongoing efforts in place.
The agency has identified one ostrich on the premises with compromised health, although specific details about its condition were not disclosed. Following a last-minute stay granted by the Supreme Court of Canada earlier this week, the birds on the farm have been spared temporarily. The court’s stay will remain in effect until a decision is made regarding the case, with the birds kept alive pending the court’s ruling on the matter concerning Universal Ostrich Farms.
The cull was initially ordered due to an avian flu outbreak at the farm, but the farm owners contested the decision, arguing that the surviving birds are healthy and hold scientific value. Despite their challenges, the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal rejected their claims. Upon confirmation of the outbreak, a laboratory in Winnipeg isolated the virus and conducted whole genome sequencing.
The virus detected is a unique reassortment not previously observed in Canada, featuring a genotype linked to a human infection in an Ohio poultry worker. According to the agency, this novel reassortment enhances the pathogenicity of the H5N1 genotype, with even small amounts of the virus proving lethal, causing death in mice within four to five days. CFIA officials, in collaboration with the RCMP, have maintained custody of the birds at the farm since the stay order was issued.
The case has garnered international attention, with supporters rallying at the farm and launching online campaigns to halt the cull. Mounties are investigating threats of violence against businesses involved in the CFIA operation. The ostriches’ situation has also been discussed in the House of Commons, with MP Mel Arnold questioning the necessity of the cull and urging government transparency on the matter.
The CFIA emphasizes a stamping-out policy for farms affected by avian flu to safeguard human and animal health as well as international trade access. The agency attributes the majority of infections to wild birds, with spikes in outbreaks observed during migration seasons in the past three years. Since 2022, millions of birds in Canada, primarily from commercial flocks, have been ordered for destruction by the CFIA.