Go Ad Free

An ostrich named Spirit, part of a flock raised for research rather than food, has died under the custody of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C.

The CFIA confirmed Spirit’s death late on October 4, attributing it to a “chronic pre-existing condition” that affected mobility and required ongoing treatment.

The agency said veterinarians provided fluids and medication, but that Spirit’s health collapsed in the final 48 hours.

Farmers reject that account. They say Spirit was injured over a week ago after being frightened by RCMP drones flying low over the property during surveillance operations tied to the ongoing cull order. According to farm reports, Spirit languished in pain for days afterward, with repeated pleas for immediate specialized veterinary intervention ignored by federal officials.

The ostriches at Universal are meant for research purposes. Farmers argue that the CFIA’s refusal to lift the cull order — still in place more than 260 days after an avian flu exposure the birds recovered from — has no scientific justification and is needlessly destroying valuable research stock.

Spirit’s death has become a symbol of the larger standoff: Carney's Ottawa insisting on eradication, while farmers and their supporters say cruelty, cover-ups, and bureaucratic overreach are driving healthy animals to needless suffering and eventual death.