Marksmen complete cull at B.C. ostrich farm, CFIA says
CBC
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Friday that it has culled the ostrich population on a farm in Edgewood, B.C.
The announcement came a day after the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear an appeal to save the flock at Universal Ostrich Farms, where avian flu was detected last December.
The CFIA said in a statement that after consulting with experts, it concluded that “that the most appropriate and humane option was to use professional marksmen in a controlled on-farm setting.”
"All depopulation activities were completed under CFIA veterinary supervision," the agency said.
The CFIA ordered the cull of the farm's birds after avian flu was detected in the flock last December and killed 70 of the birds.
The CFIA estimated there were 300 to 330 ostriches on the farm prior to the cull.
The months-long saga sparked a debate around perceived government overreach and mistrust in government organizations, as well as mandates used to contain viruses.
The farm's owners had said the cull was unnecessary because the flock was healthy and had "herd immunity," making them valuable for scientific research, while requesting that the birds be re-tested for infection.
The CFIA said ostriches that appear healthy can still be a potential source of the virus and allowing the flock to live increased the risk that the virus would dangerously mutate, particularly if the birds were exposed to wildlife.
The fight kicked off a lengthy court battle that ended Thursday morning when the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear a final appeal from the farm's owners.
Supporters of the farm expressed grief on Friday morning.
A post on a Facebook account appearing to belong to farm owner Karen Espersen said there were “no words that can describe” how she and the farm’s supporters felt.
“Rest in peace my feathered friends,” the post said. “This is a sad day for Canada.”
RCMP said they will remain on site at the CFIA's request while the agency continues with "disposal" and "demobilization."
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