Animal Justice Urges CFIA to Re-Test and Stop Ostrich Cull
Animal Justice has appealed to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to conduct new avian influenza tests and cancel a planned cull of around 400 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, British Columbia. The call follows the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision not to hear the farm’s appeal.
Before the court ruling, Animal Justice sent a formal letter to the CFIA, urging the agency to avoid what it described as an irreversible and unnecessary cull. The organization recommends renewed independent testing as a more humane and evidence-based step.
“More than 10 months after an avian influenza outbreak was declared, it would be remarkably cruel to kill hundreds of apparently healthy birds just to prove a point,” said Camille Labchuk, lawyer and executive director of Animal Justice.
According to the group, no new avian influenza testing has taken place since December 2024, when the initial outbreak was reported. Experts in infectious diseases have also expressed doubt that mass culling remains justified, saying updated tests could demonstrate that the ostriches no longer pose a public health threat.
Animal Justice warns that destroying healthy animals without current evidence of infection could damage public confidence in the CFIA’s decision-making and transparency.
Author’s Summary
Animal Justice presses the CFIA to pause the ostrich cull in British Columbia, advocating updated testing to ensure fairness, scientific accuracy, and humane treatment of animals.