An ostrich farm in Edgewood, B.C., has received a temporary reprieve from the federal government, pausing the planned culling of nearly 400 birds.
Universal Ostrich Farm has been fighting a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) order ever since an avian flu outbreak last year threatened to wipe out its entire flock.
The stay was issued on June 20, 2025, by the Hon. Justice Roussel of the Federal Court of Appeal. It temporarily halts the CFIA’s implementation of its disposal order while the farm appeals a previous decision that dismissed its application for judicial review. The appeal is set to proceed on an expedited basis, with hearings scheduled for July.
Katie Pasitney, whose parents own the farm, calls the decision a critical victory.
“It’s an absolutely amazing relief,” she said.
“We wouldn’t have been identified as a recovered flock if we hadn’t pushed this hard to save them. We’re one of the only recovered flocks in Canada. There’s a lot to gain from our ostriches standing here, rather than being eliminated.”
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The CFIA, however, maintains its actions have been legally and scientifically justified. The agency stated the original cull order was issued in line with the Health of Animals Act, after the CFIA’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on the farm.
The CFIA says it isolated the H5N1 virus from samples taken at the site, and genome sequencing revealed a novel viral reassortment not seen elsewhere in Canada.
Despite Pasitney’s calls for additional testing to prove the flock no longer poses a threat, the Federal Court of Appeal has denied the farm’s request to conduct independent tests.
According to the CFIA, there is already a robust national and international regulatory framework for testing zoonotic pathogens, and additional tests would not change the outcome. The agency emphasized that “stamping-out” — the rapid depopulation of infected flocks — is the globally recognized strategy for containing HPAI, protecting public health, and maintaining international trade access, which is vital for Canada’s $1.75 billion poultry export industry.
Still, Pasitney argues the birds have developed herd immunity and could be useful for scientific research.
“We want to be part of the solution — not continued culling,” she said. “That’s going to be an important message as we move forward to Ottawa. We’re gaining momentum, and farmers are contacting us saying they want to see a better Canada.”
The farm has also faced enforcement issues. The CFIA claims Universal Ostrich Farm has not complied with quarantine requirements laid out under the Health of Animals Act and warns that further non-compliance could lead to additional enforcement action.
At the same time, the farm is disputing $20,000 in federal fines related to alleged violations of the Act.
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