Canada’s food safety authority has announced it aims to initiate a “complete depopulation” of hundreds of these large birds at a farm following the highest judicial body declined to block the disputed cull.
Thursday’s ruling eliminated any judicial obstacle to starting the killings.
Universal Ostrich Farms, located close to the town of Edgewood, was first ordered in the month of May to cull nearly 400 birds, due to concerns of an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu.
Just days ago, officials seized control of the operation.
Sixty-nine ostriches have previously perished after the outbreak of a influenza-like sickness.
On Wednesday, the nation’s top court issued an interim stay on the cull order as it considered whether to take up the matter.
The escalating dispute over the birds – and a lingering post-pandemic skepticism – have motivated protesters to descend on the farm, with many broadcasting their frustration on social media.
The situation has also penetrated the nation’s political sphere.
In early October, the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, was questioned twice by reporters whether he supported the demonstrators.
The Conservative figure has steered clear of making direct statements on the matter, even though many within his party voicing opposition against the cull.
He informed the press the issue had been poorly handled from the start but didn’t say the word the bird’s name.
Several high-profile individuals from the United States have petitioned Canadian officials.
The American health chief offered to move the birds to his property in the Sunshine State.
An American wealthy businessman has also appealed with the authorities to reverse its cull order.
The national authorities stated the food inspection agency was following a eradication approach in order to contain the transmission of avian flu, a move consistent with wider advice from international health bodies.
However, animal advocacy groups have urged the authority to conduct further testing on the birds to verify they are infected.
The farm owners said that because the most recent fatality happened on 15 January 2025, with the surviving majority seeming healthy or healed, the group has developed at least some level of immunity against the virus.
They have also expressed skepticism on the extent and effectiveness of the tests on the ostriches.
Recently, the ranch representative, informed the press that the authority was killing healthy birds.
“These are prehistoric animals that have endured millions of years, but they will not survive the government agency,” she stated.
A co-owner said he was concerned that there is no justice left”.
A federal court, on the other hand, determined that allowing the birds to remain alive could result in the spread of bird flu to different species, the livestock sector – or to people.
The authority has not announced when it expects to begin culling the birds.
A 2016 guideline document, obtained under public access laws, states the birds can be euthanized by different means, the preferred being lethal injection, which needs three people: one to hold the bird by sitting on its back, one to hold the head, and a third to administer the injection.
Personnel can also use gas chambers or break the birds’ necks.
Members of the organization can only shoot the ostriches in extreme circumstances, if they have a trained shooter on site.
According to media sources, soon after the court ruling, inspection agents started installing more equipment and flood lighting around a makeshift pen near the back of the ostrich pen.
