The Universal Ostrich Farms H5N1 outbreak
In late December 2024, Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, British Columbia, Canada, experienced an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) among its ostriches. Within approximately 36 days, 69 ostriches died, representing about 15% of the flock. Two of the deceased birds tested positive for the virus. In response, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) implemented its long-standing “stamping-out” policy, a standard practice aligned with the guidelines of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). This policy mandates the culling of all birds on infected or exposed premises, accompanied by thorough environmental decontamination.
Despite the absence of further ostrich mortalities since January, the CFIA issued an order to cull approximately 400 remaining ostriches in order to prevent the virus from persisting or undergoing mutation within the flock. Universal Ostrich Farms filed applications for judicial review. On May 13, 2025, the Federal Court dismissed these applications, ruling that the CFIA’s actions were both reasonable and procedurally fair, while emphasizing that it is not the role of the judiciary to adjudicate scientific controversies. The farm subsequently appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal. On August 21-22, 2025, the appeal was dismissed, thereby authorizing the cull to proceed.
It should be noted that no epidemiological data from the event are available beyond reports published in the digital press. It may be reasonably inferred that ostriches infected during December 2024 were no longer carrying or shedding the virus, raising the question of why 400 apparently healthy ostriches, posing no evident risk, should be destroyed.
Our impression is that the insistence on culling the ostriches may reflect an institutional power struggle with a farmer who openly challenged the authorities through legal action. However, the destruction of animals must never serve as a punitive measure against farmers, but should instead be justified exclusively by sound scientific evidence.
