The fight to save the nearly 400 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C., has taken another devastating turn. The farmers have officially been denied their emergency stay order and thus their chance at a second appeal, leaving the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) free to carry out its open kill order at any time.

Even more troubling for the farm, the Federal Court has allowed new evidence from the CFIA to be considered while still refusing to hear fresh evidence from the farm, including expert witness reports attesting to the flock’s health and natural immunity.

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OSTRICH FARM NEWS:

The CFIA out of nowhere, without stepping foot on the farm in 6 months, and without retesting, now claims the healthy flock of Ostriches in Edgewood had an “enhanced” version of the Avian flu.

One that “increases the potential animal and human health risk.” pic.twitter.com/wwVts7phNj

— Drea Humphrey (@DreaHumphrey) September 12, 2025

Farm spokesperson Katie Pasitney, daughter of farm co-owner Karen Espersen, explains how the interim stay order, which would have temporarily paused the cull, has been denied. 

“They allowed fresh evidence to be accepted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency," Pasitney says of the courts, "but they denied us fresh evidence of our expert witness report. This is a breach of our constitutional rights.” 

The CFIA’s new affidavit was a submission from Canada’s deputy chief veterinarian, Cathy Furness, who claimed that after further review of PCR samples from two deceased ostrich carcasses taken nine months ago, the flock carries a “novel reassortment” of the virus with “enhanced pathogenicity.”

Furness characterized the so-called mutant strain as being “among the most virulent.” However, the CFIA has not set foot on the farm in over six months, and has consistently refused to allow fresh testing of the living birds, which have been observed thriving, mating, dancing and showing no signs of illness by hundreds of supporters in recent months.

Rebel News has since added Ms. Furness' name to the one-click email campaign, calling on the appropriate officials to halt their cull plans.

“If you really think about it, these animals should be protected while we go through our due process and all legal channels,” Pasitney said, her voice breaking as she addressed supporters on Facebook.

OSTRICH FARM NEWS:

Here is the Federal Court of Appeal decision to uphold the CFIA’s cull order to kill 400 ostriches that have been healthy and asymptomatic for 219 days.

This dancing rooster is the living proof.
Decision: https://t.co/PGfByJcPNj pic.twitter.com/wTCAcjCcsy

— Drea Humphrey (@DreaHumphrey) August 22, 2025

For months, the farm has argued that the surviving flock is not only healthy but represents a rare opportunity for science. Previously, the herds' antibody-rich eggs were being used in promising therapeutic research during COVID-19, and now that the birds have recovered from avian flu, their immunity makes them ideal candidates for groundbreaking antibody studies that could benefit both animal and human health.

U.S. officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Medicare head Dr. Mehmet Oz, and even the FDA and NIH, have repeatedly called on Canada to spare the birds and collaborate instead of destroying the flock.

Yet the Carney government has not budged. The CFIA has already culled over nine million birds in B.C. since 2022 under its “stamping out” policy. The policy is defended as necessary for international trade obligations, even as critics point out that the action will eliminate natural immunity, serve to crush small farmers, and, in this case, will kill a potential trade opportunity.

RFK Jr. escalates fight to save B.C. ostriches 👇🏾https://t.co/MWi2cGLuFP

— Drea Humphrey (@DreaHumphrey) July 16, 2025

Pasitney issued a stark warning about potentially losing the intense fight to save the prehistoric creatures: “This could be one of the biggest mistakes we make in Canadian history, and you need to stand up right now.”

Universal Ostrich Farms is continuing to weigh its options, but the family fears the CFIA could move in at any time. For now, they are urging Canadians to take a peaceful stand by camping at 301 Langille Road, Edgewood, B.C., to peacefully defend farming, food security, property rights, and the science the ostriches represent.

“We need the world to continue to watch what is going to happen here at Universal Ostrich Farms because the world is watching, and we are going to display right from wrong,” said Pasitney.