Photo: Facebook screenshot

Universal Ostrich Farms Inc. owner Karen Espersen asked in a Facebook video statement for the community to help stop the CFIA.

An impassioned plea for help and to “surround” the farm has gone out to the community from the owner of a nearly 400-bird flock of ostriches slated by a federal government order to be killed within the next four days.

Universal Ostrich Farms Inc. owner Karen Espersen asked in a Facebook video statement for the community to help stop the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) from coming to kill the birds suspected of having avian flu.

Federal Court Justice Russel Zinn ruled Tuesday to uphold a Dec. 31, 2024 order to have the birds killed due to the detection of avian flu.

“We need people to come and surround our farm so CFIA cannot come kill these beautiful, healthy animals,” she posted around noon on Tuesday from her farm in Edgewood, 220 kilometres northwest of Nelson. “We need people to come to our farm today and stand up and do something.”

Although it is not known Wednesday if anyone has shown up to help Espersen surround the farm — several phone calls to the farm were not answered — the order to have the birds killed has attracted the attention of hundreds of supporters, both in-person and online, who have financially supported the farm's legal fund and held rallies to save the ostriches.

“If we don’t stand for this, if we don’t pull together and we don’t save all of these beautiful happy, healthy animals, then what kind of world have we become?” Espersen asked in her statement.

She claimed the animals have been healthy for four months now. However, Zinn ruled that the CFIA ordered the cull after following proper procedure and its mandate to attempt to stop the spread of the bird virus.

“The law is clear that near-draconian measures may be justified when necessary to safeguard broader public interests, even where such measures may negatively impact private property or economic interests,” Zinn wrote in his 137-page ruling.

A show of good faith

A report from The Canadian Press Wednesday afternoon said around 40 supporters have arrived on scene at Universal Ostrich Farms in anticipation of a possible showdown with federal authorities.

Katie Pasitney, whose parents own Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C., said the family is vowing to fight for the survival of the ostriches through legal means, but has already seen supporters to their cause call in from across Canada and the United States.

B.C. Premier David Eby said the province has been frustrated by the actions of the CFIA, and while they understand the need to contain the avian flu, there’s a lack of ability to evaluate on a case-by-case basis.

“I hope the federal government looks very carefully at appropriate compensation to ensure they're made whole, and not that that can fill in for the massive loss that they've seen,” Eby said at news conference on a separate event.

The federal court ruling said the family could be compensated to a maximum of $3,000 for each bird.

— With files from The Canadian Press