A British Columbia ostrich farm's latest attempt to pause a ruling giving the Canadian Food Inspection Agency the go-ahead to slaughter their flock has been denied.As a result, Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, BC could see its 400 birds massacred at any moment.."The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed our latest request for a stay," said Katie Pasitney, spokesperson for the farm and daughter of co-owner Karen Espersen. "Justice Heckman wrote that Universal Ostrich Farm had been given a 'full and meaningful opportunity' to challenge the cull order — but this is simply not true."She explained that"every hearing so far has been forced under 10-day deadlines, with no chance for full scientific evidence to be considered," and that, "after 243 days, our ostriches remain healthy, alive, and untested.""The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has not conducted a single new test in nine months: no swabs from the birds, no water samples, no soil samples," Pasitney revealed. "Yet its affidavits still rely on two old PCR tests and speculation about 'silent shedding' — a claim that is scientifically false. Neither humans nor animals shed viruses forever.".What she deemed to be "even more troubling," however, was that the CFIA has told the court that a "more serious strain" had been detected."This is misleading: there have been no new tests on our ostriches to prove this claim," Pasitney declared. "Our flock has shown zero illness, zero deaths, and thriving health for over eight months.".BC ostrich farm has appeal dismissed — feds could slaughter flock 'at any moment'.She maintained that the move has implications far beyond the fences of Universal Ostrich Farm, and that, "by censoring real evidence and refusing to test, Canada is ignoring the largest trading partner in the world — the United States — whose FDA and NIH offered to collaborate in studying the immunity and antibodies of these ostriches.""This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for global research into future viral treatments," she added. "Instead of seizing it, CFIA hides behind outdated 'stamping out' policies designed for poultry, not ostriches.".In a follow-up post, Pasitney called on the media to engage in "responsible coverage" of the situation, arguing that "recent coverage has taken on a noticeably biased tone, relying heavily on speculative claims filed by the CFIA in Federal Court of Appeal, while omitting critical facts that the public deserves to know.""Universal Ostrich Farm is not only fighting for the survival of its flock; it is fighting for truth, transparency, and precedent-setting policy that impacts every farmer in Canada," she said. "These birds represent decades of genetic preservation and unique antibody research that could help humanity. Reporting that leans solely on speculative claims does a disservice to the Canadian public, to the farming community, and to the global scientific interest in these animals."Pasitney has vowed to "fight harder and stronger than ever" to protect the flock.
