Standoff at Universal Ostrich Farm: Siege Enters Day 2 as Cull Looms Amid International Outcry

Leave a CommentStandoff at Universal Ostrich Farm: Siege Enters Day 2 as Cull Looms Amid International OutcryNews

Edgewood, British Columbia – September 24, 2025 (AM Update)

Tensions reached a boiling point yesterday at Universal Ostrich Farms in rural Edgewood, B.C., where Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) officials have established a fortified perimeter around the property, preparing for the forced culling of approximately 400 ostriches, the average age of which is 34 and they live to 70 years.

The operation, now in its second day, has drawn comparisons to a high-stakes siege, with supporters livestreaming the scene and alleging government overreach. As of early Wednesday morning, the birds remain alive, but the CFIA has warned of “consequences” for non-compliance, and the farm’s owners face potential arrest for refusing to vacate the enclosure.

The dispute traces back to December 2024, when an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) – a strain described by federal veterinarians as “among the most virulent” tested in Canada – struck the farm. Of the original flock of about 450 birds, 69 young male and female breeders, most under four years old, died between December 14, 2024, and January 14, 2025. The CFIA issued a cull order on December 31, 2024, after lab tests confirmed the virus in two carcasses, mandating the “stamping out” of the entire surviving herd to prevent spread to livestock, wildlife, humans, or international trade partners. The agency argues the birds could act as a silent reservoir, shedding the virus asymptomatically, with immunity duration unknown due to limited ostrich-specific science.

Farm owners Dave Bilinski and Karen Espersen, along with spokesperson and co-owner’s daughter Katie Pasitney, insist the remaining ~400 ostriches are healthy, exhibiting “herd immunity” after over 250 days without symptoms. They describe the flock as a genetically valuable resource for studying natural antibodies as vaccine alternatives, noting ostriches’ high survival rate (85%) compared to chickens or turkeys (near 100% mortality). The family has pleaded for fresh testing, but courts – including Federal Court, the Federal Court of Appeal, and a recent denial of an interim stay on September 12 – have upheld the CFIA’s authority, ruling the policy aligns with international trade guidelines and public health imperatives.

Escalating Standoff: Arrests, Barricades, and Live Streams

RCMP and CFIA arrived Monday with a search warrant, backed by disposal trucks and dozens of officers. Supporters, numbering around 50 on Tuesday, were confined outside police tape but permitted to film. Emotions ran high as protesters chanted and yelled at authorities, with Pasitney livestreaming from inside the ostrich pen via a newly installed Starlink terminal to ensure global visibility.

Two key figures – including Pasitney – were arrested Tuesday for refusing to leave the enclosure after a CFIA ultimatum while trying to feel the birds. They were released later but barred from re-entering, with RCMP citing “ongoing protest activity and increased tensions.”

A three-meter wall of hay bales now encircles the grazing field, obscuring the birds from view, while white-suited CFIA personnel in protective gear prepare for the cull. (Conflicting reports are coming out that the hay bale company has removed these, and that the bales were set on fire overnight.) Live feeds from security cameras, shared via Rebel News and YouTube, show the ostriches roaming calmly, unaware of the impending threat. Farm allies warn of a “Bundy standoff” scenario, evoking U.S. rancher Cliven Bundy’s 2014 clash with federal agents.

Helicopter flyovers last week, initially decried as “psychological warfare” by supporters, were unrelated to the operation, per RCMP. However, the agency is investigating local business complaints of “threats, intimidation, and harassment” tied to the protests.

U.S. Pressure Mounts: From White House Letters to Right-Wing Sanctuary Offers

The saga has transcended borders, amplifying U.S. scrutiny on Canada’s avian flu policies amid a shared poultry crisis that has infected over eight million birds in B.C. alone. In May 2025, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., alongside the NIH director and FDA commissioner, penned a letter to CFIA President Paul MacKinnon, urging reconsideration of the cull due to the “significant value” in studying the ostriches’ immune responses. The missive highlighted potential insights into non-vaccine treatments, drawing White House attention and framing the issue as a flashpoint in bilateral disease management.

Kennedy’s intervention sparked a wave of American right-wing support, including offers of sanctuary. Dr. Mehmet Oz, former TV host and Trump ally, proposed housing the birds at his U.S. properties, while commentator John Catsimatidis pledged relocation to Texas. Figures like podcaster Joe Rogan and billionaire Elon Musk have been tagged in viral pleas for amplification. Critics, including immunology experts, counter that similar studies exist globally, and sparing the flock risks trade sanctions.

Solidarity Actions: Vendor Cancellations and Hotel Ejections

Protests have rippled beyond the farm, with supporters targeting CFIA logistics in a show of economic defiance. A B.C. vehicle rental company, contracted over the weekend to provide equipment for aerial culling (e.g., lifts for shooting from above), abruptly canceled and packed up its gear, citing pressure from the “Save Our Ostriches” movement. Local businesses aligned with the farm have vowed to reject CFIA contracts, framing it as solidarity against “unjust destruction” of a 30-year family legacy.

Reports from the ground indicate escalating harassment of government personnel: CFIA officials have been reportedly “thrown out” of hotels in nearby Nakusp and New Denver, with protesters confronting staff and demanding they abandon the operation. The Regional District of Central Kootenay’s January resolution blocking landfill disposal of carcasses – pending further testing – has forced the CFIA to seek alternative veterinary-supervised methods, further delaying timelines. RCMP statements emphasize impartiality but warn of arrests for obstruction.

Three Independent B.C. MLAs, all former Conservatives, have publicly backed the farm, while Conservative MP Scott Aiken visited in May, calling the cull “unnecessary.” The movement has attracted convoy-style demonstrators, blending animal rights with anti-government rhetoric, though organizers stress peaceful assembly.

Broader Implications and Next Steps

As the cull deadline looms – potentially as early as today – the farm has filed an urgent Supreme Court application by October 3 for leave to appeal, seeking another stay. Compensation of ~$3,000 per bird has been offered but dismissed as inadequate to rebuild the specialized herd. Pasitney, in a tearful Facebook video, urged: “Support us as a family. Support the future of farming.”

This case underscores fractures in Canada’s avian flu response, pitting small-scale innovation against rigid biosecurity. With global eyes watching via livestreams, the outcome could reshape trust in federal oversight. CFIA has declined to confirm timelines, but whispers of a Vancouver-Surrey task force suggest action is imminent. For live updates, follow @SaveOurOstriches or Rebel News feeds.

This report is based on on-site reporting, court filings, and verified social media dispatches as of 8:00 AM PDT.

Factors Making the Cull Difficult

Culling a herd of 400 ostriches is logistically, physically, and ethically challenging compared to smaller poultry like chickens. Ostriches are the world’s largest birds, with adults weighing 200–300 pounds (90–135 kg), standing up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall, and capable of running at speeds of 40–50 mph (65–80 km/h). They can also deliver powerful kicks with their strong legs, posing risks to handlers. Here’s a breakdown of the key difficulties:

AspectChallengesDetails
Logistical ScaleHigh volume and space requirementsHandling 400 large birds requires a large team (dozens of CFIA veterinarians, handlers, and RCMP for security), specialized equipment like disposal trucks, and containment structures (e.g., the recent hay bale wall to prevent escapes). The farm spans open terrain, complicating herding without enclosed facilities.
Physical HandlingSize, speed, and aggressionOstriches are not easily restrained; rounding them up risks injury to both birds and people. Farm owners have reported “love bites” and scratches from protective interactions. Standard methods like gassing are impractical without sealed enclosures, and manual neck-slitting or shooting demands precision to ensure humane euthanasia.
Humane and Ethical ConcernsWelfare standards and public backlashAnimal rights advocates, including lawyer Rebeka Breder, have called the cull potentially “unlawful animal cruelty” due to difficulties in humane execution at this scale. Courts sympathized with owners but prioritized disease control. Protests and arrests highlight emotional toll, with owners describing the birds as “30-year-old animals that are not just easily replaced.”
Health and Safety RisksDisease exposure and mutationsCFIA personnel must wear full protective suits to avoid H5N1 transmission (which has infected humans elsewhere). Uncertainty about ostrich immunity adds pressure, as the virus could mutate in ways increasing mammal adaptability.
Resource AllocationSecurity and enforcementOver 40 RCMP officers, drones, and K9 units were deployed, drawing criticism for diverting resources from other priorities like missing persons searches. This reflects the operation’s complexity amid ongoing resistance.

In comparison, culling millions of chickens (as in prior Canadian outbreaks totaling 8.7 million birds since 2022) is easier due to their smaller size and flock behavior, often using ventilated gassing tents. For ostriches, the process could take days, involving sedation, lethal injection, or cervical dislocation, followed by on-site incineration or burial to prevent contamination.