Universal Ostrich Farm
If you have followed the circumstances surrounding the Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, BC you would know that they are down to every last spare second they can find to save their farm and their livestock. Here is a little back story to catch you up if you are not fully aware of the situation.
According to their website, The Universal Ostrich Farm has been home to over 300 ostriches and has been known for their groundbreaking research on the robust immune systems of the ostriches. In December 2024, 2 deceased ostriches tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza. As a result, the CFIA ordered the cull of the full flock by February 1, 2025. Since then, the family at Universal Ostrich Farm has fought a hard battle against the cull decision, stating herd immunity and unnecessary culling of healthy birds.
Here it is in basic, easy-to-understand terms
December 2024 - 2 deceased birds tested positive for H5N1
No testing has been done on ANY OTHER birds on the farm since December (alive or dead)
The CFIA REFUSED to test any other birds and also stated they would FINE the farm $250K PER BIRD if the farm was to move forward with their own private testing of their OWN animals
ALL birds have been under quarantine for the last 253 days and have shown NO SIGNS of illness or disease and there have been no more deaths
The CFIA has currently moved in and is organizing a cull program that is incredibly inhumane
How do they plan on culling? They have created a 3-wall barrier pen utilizing large straw bales and they plan on running all the ostriches into the pen where people will be standing on top of the bales to dart and shoot the ostriches. This is a practice that has been BANNED in South African due to its inhumane practice.
Now imagine if this were people. Imagine if this belief system and program had been put in place during the COVID pandemic? Imagine if our human policies stated that 2 people died and so we need to euthanize the 398 other humans who had been in contact with those people ‘just in case’ - without testing to confirm they are sick, without monitoring their immune system and their ability to fight off the infectious disease, and without considering the long-term residual impact of culling 398 people. Imagine if human lives were disregarded in the same way animals’ lives are.
This isn’t about ostriches. This isn’t about H5N1 influenza. This is about the lack of education, research and willingness of the government to WORK WITH THE PEOPLE period. This is about corruption at the core. This farm and these animals hold key information that could help us better understand herd immunity which will in turn impact our ability to fight off infectious diseases as a whole - humans and animals alike.
If it was truly about education. If it was truly about helping the people and the animals and reducing the spread of illness. If it was truly about doing what is right for HUMANITY as a whole - they would not be moving forward with this plan.
If you still think the government has ours, and the animals, best interest at heart - if you still think they care and want to do what is right for humanity - then I don’t know what else you need to see and experience in order to have your eyes opened to the reality that is. If you haven’t learned anything in the last 5 years, I feel nothing but sadness and defeat for you.
I have had discussions with people within the Animal Welfare sector, including a lady named Nicole from ‘The Animal Protection Party of Canada’ - ‘North America’s ONLY federal political party dedicated to the protection of all animals and the environment’ who’s mission and statement on their website includes the below,
“Our platform is rooted in creating a compassionate and sustainable future for all living beings, advocating for policies that prioritize environmental responsibility, social justice, and animal welfare.
We are Canada’s only true multi-issue party because we are inclusive of all species. We cannot talk about any societal structure without including all affected by public policy. By addressing the interconnection between animals, the environment, and human well-being, we’re paving the way for a brighter future for all.”
When I reached out to her to get an understanding of her perspective, she essentially responded to my email with the below,
Our Party does not support the breeding and exploitation of nonhuman animals. We agree this is a terrible situation and have written about it on our website which outlines our position. You can find it here:
https://www.animalprotectionparty.ca/reflection-on-the-culling-of-ostriches-in-bc/
You’re welcome to read the blog post and come up with your own opinion on what they are saying. But here is where I get upset with these kinds of conversation. She started her email response to me by saying - Our party does not support the breeding and exploitation of nonhuman animals - as if that reason alone justifies why they are refusing to step in and say “NO, this cull program is NOT okay”. In her blog post she even goes on to say It is strange to me that some animal activists took the ostrich producers’ side. They, like myself, didn’t want the birds killed, but breeding stock aside, that would be their ultimate fate, their purpose being to produce the meat and oil that covers the cost of keeping them, with profit to the farmers. Ostriches can lay dozens of eggs per year and live for decades, and so there are plenty of birds to be “harvested” each year, for meat, oil, skins, and feathers.
Essentially she is saying, the animals are going to die anyways so what’s the problem? As if being an Animal Activist means you don’t also fight for HUMANE euthanasia. As if Animal Activists don’t fight for BETTER POLICIES, because the reality is that Canada’s policies surrounding Animal Welfare are pathetic, to say the least. To me, being an Animal Activist means you FIGHT FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS PERIOD - BOTH IN LIFE AND IN DEATH!!!! Because death is inevitable .. yes.
It’s mind-boggling to me that people still struggle with that point. Inevitably none of us cheat death. Animals and Humans alike. We all die. But none of us have to die unnecessarily and especially not inhumanely. And THAT is what is about to happen at the Universal Ostrich Farm.
And if you’re okay with that, then I shake my head at you and pray your soul finds the healing it needs - whether that be in this lifetime or in the afterlife.
Because we are all connected and we are ALL going to feel the residual impact of what is currently happening if something is not done to put an end to this.
