Heartbreak struck a British Columbia ostrich farm on Thursday night as CFIA marksmen shot and killed more than 300 ostriches after the courts approved a cull to control an avian flu outbreak. CTV
After nearly a year of legal battles and protests, the long-disputed ostrich cull at a farm near Edgewood, British Columbia began Thursday night with the sound of gunfire and ended within hours.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ordered the killing of the flock, estimated at 300 to 330 ostriches, following an avian flu outbreak that started last New Year’s Eve. The cull came after the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the farm’s final appeal earlier that same day, ending months of legal efforts to save the birds.
By Friday afternoon, CFIA workers in white protective suits were loading the carcasses into large metal bins. The disposal took place inside the hay-bale enclosure where the birds had been corralled before the shooting.
Protesters Devastated by the Scene
Witnesses said gunshots began just after sunset on Thursday, while police blocked off the road to the farm. Protesters shouted at CFIA workers, pleading for them to stop.
Farm co-owner Dave Bilinski described the night as “unbearable,” saying that the birds were left “wounded all over the place.” He said many supporters were traumatized by what they saw and now need mental health support.
“There are supporters here who need help right now,” Bilinski said on Friday. “CFIA should have had mental health workers on-site.”
The CFIA defended the operation, saying professional marksmen carried out the cull under veterinary supervision and that the method was both “humane and appropriate.” It added that the process followed recommendations from both Canadian and American veterinary associations.
“It Was Hard to Listen To”
Farm supporter Janice Tyndall, 72, said she heard the gunfire for hours and struggled to handle it emotionally. “I couldn’t stomach it anymore,” she said. “I’m thinking, ‘They’re still shooting? How could they still be shooting?’”
She said the shots varied in sound, from muffled bangs to louder cracks, suggesting the use of different firearms. Floodlights and hay bales blocked her view, but she and other supporters gathered along the highway, shouting into the dark as the cull went on.
By morning, CFIA crews had covered the pen with tarps, later pulling them back to reveal rows of dead ostriches.
Police Maintain Security as Tensions Rise
The RCMP maintained a heavy presence at the site throughout the night, citing “weeks of threats and intimidation” against CFIA staff. Police paused the cull briefly during a shift change but said no one was hurt and no arrests were made.
Farmers had argued that the birds were healthy and immune to avian flu. They had urged CFIA to test the flock rather than kill it, claiming the ostriches were valuable for research. The CFIA rejected that request, saying even healthy-looking birds could spread the virus or allow it to mutate.
Heartbreak and Anger Remain
Bilinski said the farmers haven’t received the $3,000 per bird compensation CFIA promised. Katie Pasitney, whose mother co-owns the farm, wrote that her family was “broken” by the loss and planned to follow the trucks carrying the carcasses in a symbolic funeral procession.
Supporters called the event “devastating,” saying it will take time for the community to recover.
