Five things to know about ostrich cull case, after court delivers blow to farmers

The cull of hundreds of ostriches at a British Columbia farm is set to begin after the Supreme Court of Canada announced it would not be hearing an appeal by the farm’s owners.

Here are five things to know about the situation at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C.

1. The court fight

The Supreme Court of Canada on Thursday declined to grant the farmers leave to appeal their case again, after they previously lost bids to save the birds in Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal. Thursday’s decision lifts a stay on the cull, meaning there’s no legal barrier to the cull beginning immediately.

2. How and when will the birds be killed?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it will “be moving forward to complete depopulation and disposal” of the flock of 300 to 330 birds. Hay bale barriers in the ostrich enclosure prevent a full view inside and it’s unclear if the cull has started. The CFIA hasn’t said how it will kill the birds, but says “best practices” are described in a manual that outlines methods of killing ostriches by breaking their necks, lethal injection, gassing or shooting. It details lethal injection to the skull of an ostrich, a procedure involving three people, “one to hold the bird by sitting on its back, one to hold the head, and one to inject the drug.” 

3. Why do the farmers say the flock should be spared?

The farmers say the flock is now healthy and has “herd immunity” after 69 birds died, amid an avian flu outbreak that began in December last year. The owners say the survivors are scientifically valuable and should be studied. They argue the birds are healthy, pose no threat, and they want them tested but the CFIA has refused. 

4. What the CFIA says

The inspection agency says it has not received any evidence of research by the owners. It says allowing a flock known to have been exposed to highly pathogenic avian flu to live means a potential source of the virus persists, increasing the risk of mutation, particularly if the birds are in the open and exposed to wildlife. It says ostriches showing no clinical signs of disease could be shedding the virus and acting as a reservoir for the further spread of infection to people, livestock, and wildlife.

5. The farm’s following

The cull order generated worldwide attention, including from U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. and former T.V. personality Dr. Mehmet Oz. Kennedy sent a letter to the president of the CFIA asking him to reconsidering destroying the birds, while Oz offered his Florida Ranch to relocate the animals. The farm staged “Ostrichfest” music concerts where performers included “Freedom Convoy” organizer Tamara Lich. Many supporters have been camping out at the farm. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2025.