The nation’s food inspection agency revealed it intends to start a total removal of hundreds of ostriches at a ranch following the supreme court refused to block the contentious cull.
Judicial Impediments Removed by Supreme Court Decision
The recent judicial decision eliminated any legal impediment to starting the slaughter.
The ostrich farm, situated close to the town of Edgewood, was initially directed in the month of May to cull nearly 400 birds, due to fears of an outbreak of avian influenza.
Earlier this week, officials seized control of the business.
Sixty-nine birds have previously perished after the emergence of a influenza-like sickness.
Midweek, Canada’s supreme court issued an interim stay on the cull order as it weighed whether to take up the matter.
Governmental and Public Responses
The escalating dispute over the birds – and a simmering distrust of government – have motivated demonstrators to descend on the farm, with many expressing their frustration on social media.
The situation has also entered the nation’s political sphere.
In early October, the opposition leader, the Tory leader, was questioned twice by reporters whether he supported the demonstrators.
The Tory leader has steered clear of making specific comments on the issue, despite many within his political group voicing opposition against the cull.
He told reporters the issue had been poorly handled from the start but avoided mentioning the word the bird’s name.
International Involvement and Offers
A number of prominent figures from the US have petitioned authorities in Canada.
The American health chief proposed to move the ostriches to his property in Florida.
An American billionaire has also appealed with the authorities to rescind its eradication directive.
Health and Moral Debates
The national authorities said the relevant agency was adhering to a “stamping out” approach in order to contain the spread of avian flu, a move consistent with broader advice from international health bodies.
However, animal rights organizations have called on the authority to perform further testing on the birds to confirm they are infected.
The farm owners claimed that because the last bird flu death happened on January 15th, with the remaining birds seeming healthy or healed, the group has acquired at least some level of immunity against H5N1.
They have also cast doubt on the extent and effectiveness of the tests on the ostriches.
Ranch Representative Reaction
On Thursday, the ranch representative, told the media that the agency was “murdering” birds in good health.
“They are ancient creatures that have endured millions of years, but they will not survive the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,” she said.
A co-owner said he was “afraid there’s – in my opinion – there’s no fairness left”.
Judicial and Authority Findings
A federal court, however, determined that allowing the ostriches to stay alive could result in the spread of bird flu to other animals, the livestock sector – or to people.
The authority has not announced when it expects to begin culling the ostriches.
Culling Methods
A 2016 agency manual, obtained under freedom of information laws, says the birds can be killed by different means, the recommended being lethal injection, which requires multiple individuals: one to hold the ostrich by sitting on its back, another to secure the head, and one to inject the drug.
Personnel can also use gas or neck dislocation.
Members of the agency can only use firearms on the birds “as a last resort”, if they have a trained shooter on the premises.
Latest Updates
As per media sources, soon after the judicial decision, inspection agents started installing additional gear and bright lights around a large hay-bale enclosure near the rear of the bird enclosure.
