Editor's Note: The original version of this story said Oz and Kennedy Jr. were defending the cull. In fact, they were opposing it.Dr. Mehmet Cengiz Oz, known as Dr. Oz from his popular TV show, has joined US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in opposing the cull of 400 healthy ostriches in BC. Oz has offered his 900-acre ranch in Okeechobee, FL, as a refuge for the condemned birds at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, BC. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency plans to kill the whole flock after avian flu was found in the carcasses of two deceased birds in December. There is currently no trace of bird flu among the flock. The federal government insisted the birds need to be destroyed because the deadly, highly contagious flu was found in two ostrich carcasses on the farm in December. Oz said he agrees with the farm’s owners in that the flu had run its course, and the rest of the flock has herd immunity. “We’re sticking our necks out for the birds,” Oz, who is now administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, told the New York Post. “The Canadians should stop putting their heads in the sand.”“We just have to get [the ostriches] out of Canada.“It doesn’t help anyone to kill all the birds.”.RFK Jr calls on CFIA to partner with US to save 400 BC ostriches from gov't-ordered cull.He suggested instead of culling the ostriches, they should be used for research — which they already were, in partnership with a lab in Japan, the farm’s spokesperson Katie Pasitney, daughter of owner Karen Esperson, told the Western Standard last week.“We should study the birds to see the likelihood of them getting infected,” said Oz.“The Canadians don’t seem to want to do this.”Oz said he spoke directly to the owners, who seemed open to the idea of transferring the ostriches down south.“I can house the birds. She agreed,” he said.“It’s not just about ostriches. It’s about all the birds”“I’d rather the scientists make the determination — not bureaucrats. We found out what happened during the COVID pandemic, when the bureaucrats made all the decisions.”.EXCLUSIVE: Ostrich farm owner warns of broader implications of federal agency ordering mass cull.Kennedy in a letter to the Canadian federal agency wrote, “Ostriches can live up to 50 years, providing the opportunity for future insights into immune longevity associated with the H5N1 virus.”“The indiscriminate destruction of entire flocks without up-to-date testing and evaluation can have significant consequences, including the loss of valuable genetic stork that may help explain risk factors for H5N1 mortality,” wrote Kennedy.“This may be important for future agricultural resilience.”Big Apple supermarket billionaire John Catsimatidis was one of the first prominent Americans who vouched for the ostriches to live.Catsimatidis told the NY Post on Monday he was “thrilled” at Oz’s suggestion.“Bring the ostriches to Dr. Oz in Florida where they will be safe. I agree with RFK and Dr. Oz that the ostriches aren’t sick.”
