Cull or Rescue? B.C. Ostrich Farm discusses what’s next if high court rules against them

[Hol]

Katie Pasitney of Universal Ostrich Farms awaits a federal appeal court ruling on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) order to slaughter 400 ostriches in Edgewood, B.C., vowing to continue the fight for farming sovereignty regardless of the outcome.

In today’s report, Pasitney the adult daughter of farm co-owner Karen Espersen and the farm’s spokesperson joins Rebel News to share what it felt like to have the farm’s arguments heard in court.

On July 15th, the high court heard why the CFIA’s rigid "stamping out" policy shouldn't justify killing a flock whose antibody-rich eggs are vital for therapeutic research. Victoria lawyer Umar Sheikh represents the farm, crowdfunded by supporters.

…

U.S. Medicare head Dr. Mehmet Oz has offered refuge for the ostriches at his 900-acre ranch.

Pasitney discusses the farm's next steps if the court battle is lost, including accepting the U.S. health officials’ offer to rescue the flock and preserve the ostriches' vital scientific research.

https://www.rebelnews.com/bc_ostrich_farm_discusses_whats_next_if_high_court_rules_against_them

 

[Margery]

a quote from the article:

"The nearly 400 surviving birds have remained healthy and asymptomatic for over 180 days."

Sounds like they should be left alone to live out their best ostrich lives in peace.

2 died, and their bodies tested positive using the PCR tests which are notorious for false readings. I'd say the burden of proof rests on the govt that wants to kill these birds that are healthy and zero symptoms for over 6 months. Prove that the first 2 died of the flu. Prove that the last 400 are a danger.

Otherwise every farm, pet store and pet owner in BC needs to kill every bird in their care "in case" they "might" someday have the flu.

If these birds did have it, they had an awesomely strange survival pattern.

Look at the math for just a moment: Mortality and Pathology Associated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Outbreaks in Commercial Poultry Production Systems in Nigeria - PMC this article is from the NIH and it explains that 11% of laying chickens die during an infection. Meat birds up to 75% death rate (anyone who has raised meat birds knows why). Roosters were 45% and pullets were 26%

Lets say they were 400 total. 2 died. That is 0.005% of the total flock.

0.005% is pretty unheard of for avian flu.

Lets move away from chickens- avian flu has about a 74% mortality rate in eagles according to some biologists in a nature . com article online.

So laying hens 11% on an enclosed farm
Eagles up to 74% out in the wild roaming free
Most other birds somewhere in between.

But these ostriches- 0.005% which is how 2/400 adds up.

The math doesn't add up.

Gimme a break here. This flock didn't have bird flu in the first place. NOT MATHEMATICALLY POSSIBLE!!!


The 2 that died were NOT infectious of any type of serious infection that could lead to death. They died of other causes. Maybe one ate a shoelace that tied her in knots inside, and the other had an allergic reaction to eating a wasp.

Mathematically THEY WERE NEVER INFECTED WITH THE AVIAN FLU IN THE FIRST PLACE AND FURTHERMORE - they did NOT die of ANYTHING infectious.

Because the flock didn't "catch it", and no other birds died. That infection was so weak, it stayed contained to 2 birds, but somehow paradoxically it killed those 2- even if it was too weak to be transmitted.

If they had been infectious of even a mild infection, the morbidity (illness) and mortality (deaths) pattern should be quite different. If a disease was bad enough to kill 2 birds out of 400 there should have been a pattern of illness across the flock, and there really SHOULD have been more deaths.

 

[Hol]

It was like the Covid gestapo had to find some extra innocent groups to oppress.

Hopefully your courts will allow the birds to remain in BC.

 

[Margery]

It was like the Covid gestapo had to find some extra innocent groups to oppress.

Hopefully your courts will allow the birds to remain in BC.

Sadly I won't hold my breath.

My acid comments about math above are a grumpy commentary on the utter stupidity of the BC bureaucracy in it's majestic ignorance of facts or basic math skills applied to epidemiology 101!

 

[Tall Timbers]

It appears that that flock of ostriches is about as healthy as ostriches can be. That probably won't stop the govmint of Canada from having their way.