Investor, philanthropist and former Dragons’ Den star W. Brett Wilson has stepped into the fight to save nearly 400 ostriches from a government-ordered mass cull in Edgewood, British Columbia.

Wilson pledged $100,000 to fund independent testing of the birds, after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) moved to destroy the flock under its controversial “stamping out” policy for avian flu — a policy that has already wiped out more than nine million birds in B.C.

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The ostriches, owned by Universal Ostrich Farms, were exposed to avian flu more than 260 days ago but have since recovered, according to the farmers. Despite this, the CFIA seized the farm with RCMP support and insists on proceeding with the cull without further testing.

Hey @ezraLevant might you table with CFIA that I would contribute $100,000 to cover proper testing of these OSTRICHES?

Clarity might help getting the @liberal_party to the table.

They are spending serious coin in a threat / plan to destroy these apparently healthy birds. https://t.co/opf90v4V3F

— * W. Brett Wilson * (@WBrettWilson) October 4, 2025

Tragedy struck today when Spirit, a hen cherished by the farm, died after suffering an injury while under CFIA custody, reportedly running into a fence after being spooked by a RCMP surveillance drone. Farmers pleaded to provide care for her, but were denied access as she languished for days before her death.

Wilson’s high-profile intervention, calling out the Liberals for spending “serious coin” to kill what appear to be healthy animals, has added momentum to the growing backlash. Rebel News’ Ezra Levant has been reporting directly from the farm, documenting the heavy-handed tactics and the community’s fight to save the ostriches.

With Spirit’s death underscoring the human and animal toll of Ottawa’s unscientificpolicy, Wilson’s offer of funding ramps up pressure on the government to reconsider before it wipes out yet another flock of healthy birds.