Ostrich cull ordered on B.C. farm over avian flu concerns, owners heartbroken [Video]

The fate of 400 ostriches that live on a farm near Edgewood B.C. in the West Kootenay region has been decided.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has ordered the entire herd at Universal Ostrich Farm be culled following an avian flu outbreak in December.

The outbreak is believed to have come from a flock of ducks that migrated to the farm.

Nearly 70 ostriches died as a result of the outbreak.

According to the farm owners, they lost about 10 per cent of their flock.

Owners of the ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farm posted on Facebook Tuesday that they are devastated by the news.

“The court’s decision accepted the CFIA’s justification under the Health of Animals Act and their use of the Stamping-Out Policy, which mandates the destruction of animals to control disease outbreaks, regardless of their health status,” the owners posted.

“The court confirmed the CFIA’s approach, prioritizing trade obligations over …