Canada is facing a new wave of public outrage after federal agents slaughtered hundreds of healthy ostriches at a British Columbia (BC) farm last week, an operation supporters describe as “inhumane,” “unnecessary,” and a chilling example of a government that increasingly defaults to force over science.
The late-night raid unfolded at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, where Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) personnel, aided by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), opened fire on the birds for hours.
At least two shooters, believed to be CFIA “marksmen” from the agency’s Enforcement Investigation and Services Unit, pumped hundreds of rounds into the flock.
The farm’s owners and supporters watched helplessly as the birds were gunned down by the federal government.
Witnesses say many ostriches were left injured and crying out through the night until CFIA inspectors returned at dawn to decapitate those still alive.
Supporters described scenes of chaos and cruelty.
One person recounted online:
“They were gunned down in the dark, over hours… the gunshots, the agonizing sounds of the birds, the screaming… it was absolutely f**** sickening.”
No Protective Gear Despite CFIA Claiming ‘Pathogenic Risk’
Despite insisting the birds posed a highly pathogenic avian flu danger, the shooters wore no protective equipment beyond balaclavas.
RCMP officers later sifted through blood-soaked debris with bare hands to load carcasses into bins sent to an undisclosed disposal site.
Supporters tracked vehicles amid fears the birds were being moved toward the Surrey port for ocean dumping.
CFIA Refused to Test the Birds
The Canadian government had provided no evidence that the birds posed a bird flu risk.
Universal Ostrich Farms had pleaded for testing for months, saying the flock appeared healthy and had developed antibodies, natural immunity that could provide valuable insight into H5N1 containment.
However, the CFIA refused.
Instead, the agency pushed ahead with “depopulation,” asserting it was following its stamping-out policy under the Health of Animals Act.
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the farm’s final appeal Thursday.
Farm Owners: ‘Our Hearts Are Empty’
Farm spokeswoman Katie Pasitney, who kneeled in the rain begging agents to stop, described the emotional devastation:
“Our hearts are empty… It doesn’t matter if it’s a chicken or a 35-year-old ostrich; no animal should have to die inhumanely, neglected, tortured.”
The CFIA maintains that shooting hundreds of birds over several hours was “the most appropriate and humane option.”
Yet the agency’s own manuals say shooting should be used only as a “last resort.”
Growing Anger Over Government Overreach
The raid is resonating far beyond British Columbia.
Many Canadians, already wary of federal power after years of aggressive pandemic policies and world-leading euthanasia expansion, now see the ostrich cull as another example of heavy-handed government behavior masquerading as “public health.”
In recent years, Canada has drawn international scrutiny for its rapidly expanding Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) regime, which now permits euthanasia for non-terminal conditions and is slated for another major expansion in 2027.
Critics say Ottawa’s instinct to eliminate problems “at the root,” whether vulnerable people or entire animal populations, reflects a broader shift toward bureaucratic convenience over compassion.
U.S. Figures Call for Investigation
The slaughter also caught the attention of major American figures.
American billionaire John Catsimatidis, a supporter of the farm and outspoken animal advocate, demanded a “thorough investigation,” even urging the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene if Canada refuses.
The farm’s story reached Catsimatidis in May when Pasitney called into his radio program pleading for help:
“The Canadian government wants our farm killed off of two tests… even though they are fully healthy and doing amazingly well.”
President Donald Trump’s administration officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., also became involved.
Kennedy pushed for a collaborative immunity study, writing:
“There is significant value in studying this population,” instead of the “indiscriminate” culling.
Dr. Oz even offered to relocate the entire flock to his Florida property, but the farm refused, wanting to keep the operation Canadian.
Ottawa Refused All Alternatives
Despite international proposals, scientific interest, and months of pressure, the CFIA pushed ahead.
By July, Kennedy, Oz, and Catsimatidis appealed directly to liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney for a joint public statement.
Carney never responded.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser instead praised the Supreme Court decision, saying he was “pleased to see” the case dismissed and insisting that the CFIA must “protect the health of the general Canadian public.”
Local Leaders Condemn the Raid
BC Conservative MP Scott Anderson blasted the operation as reckless:
“This operation has cost Canadians millions of dollars… and has turned the once peaceful town of Edgewood into something that looks like a science fiction movie set featuring Area 51.”
‘The People Have to Fight Back’
Pasitney says the fight is far from over:
“There has to be change in Canada.
“This cannot be allowed to continue to happen.
“The people have to fight back.”
With hundreds of carcasses removed, a devastated farm community, and national distrust rising once again, the ostrich massacre is quickly becoming another flashpoint in Canada’s ongoing struggle over transparency, accountability, and the expanding power of federal agencies operating under the banner of “public health.”
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