The sound of hundreds of gunshots ringing out throughout the night is haunting the small town of Edgewood, and world wide.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) euthanized more than 300 birds at Universal Ostrich Farm late Thursday, Nov. 6.
Protesters and supporters of the farm shared multiple videos online of guns being fired in the dark in the ostrich pens, which CFIA have taken control of since September.
“There are no words that can describe how we feel this morning. Hearing gunshots all night as CFIA kills your animals slowly. Over 900 shots heard,” said Karen Espersen, co-owner of the farm. “Our beautiful healthy ostrich were murdered for surviving a virus. They held a natural cure for mankind but don’t worry CFIA took that also.”
An avian influenza outbreak was declared at the farm in December 2024, followed by a cull order of all the ostriches by the CFIA.
The farm fought the cull order at every level of court, hence the delay to now.
“This is a sad day for Canada,” said Espersen. “There is just no words or enough tears to explain how we feel today.”
Due to the ongoing protest activity at the farm and increased tensions resulting from the various court proceedings over several months, the BC RCMP has been positioned at the farm to keep the peace and enforce the law.
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the Universal Ostrich Farm’s application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Federal Court of Appeal on Nov. 6.
Hours later, at 3:30 p.m., RCMP closed Langille Road to non-residents for public safety reasons, in preparation for the CFIA cull.
RCMP was responsible for the safety and security of the site throughout the exercise and did not otherwise take an active role in the cull.
“The CFIA cull exercise was paused by the RCMP in order to allow for shift change of our security team,” said Stf. Sgt. Kris Clark. “Once our safety concerns were addressed, CFIA contractors were allowed to proceed. With our oversight of safety protocols, no one was injured during the dynamic portion of the CFIA operation, and no arrests were made.”
Now that the cull is complete, the RCMP will remain on site at the request of CFIA while the lead agency continues with disposal, and demobilization.
“A massacre of healthy animals, not one of them were ever tested by CFIA,” said Dave Bilinski, co-owner of the farm.
“They have, we believe, the strongest H5N1 antibodies in the world and the CFIA wants it rubbed out, and they succeeded.
“These birds are going to be martyrs.”
The farm is still quarantined under the Health of Animals Act.
“After consulting with experts experienced in managing ostrich disease outbreaks, the CFIA concluded that the most appropriate and humane option was to use professional marksmen in a controlled on-farm setting,” the CFIA said, adding veterinary supervision took place over the depopulation.
The method, according to CFIA, is consistent with Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and American Veterinary Medical Association recommendations “and may be used as required, particularly when other methods are impractical.”
Designed to provide for the safety of CFIA staff, contractors and the public, the operation respected animal welfare standards, the CFIA states.
The CFIA has now started the disposal stage of the disease response.
Individuals in the vicinity of the ostrich farm are reminded that it remains an offence to obstruct agents and airspace restrictions remain for drones and aircraft.