An avian flu outbreak in winter 2025 at an ostrich farm in Edgewood, B.C. led to sudden national political discourse, with local stakeholders assessing next steps. In late August 2025, Universal Ostrich Farm lost their final court appeal aiming to prevent a government-issued cull of 400 ostriches. The farm’s owner, Katie Pasitney, is facing six months in jail if a single ostrich tests positive for avian flu, as well as a $200,000 fine per tested ostrich with an infection. However, Pasitney has indicated the ostriches have been healthy for over 200 days, as of September. Farmers across the province are backing Pasitney, while angered policymakers are overlooking natural immunity and reliance of the birds to recover.
On September 6, Universal Ostrich Farm took the case to the Supreme Court of Canada, with a request to delay the mandated execution of the 400 ostriches. The postponement is favourable to ostrich farmers, but scientists of the National Microbiology Laboratory of Canada worry keeping the flock alive will potentially lead to mutations of the virus. When contracted by humans, avian flu can lead to fever-like symptoms, but a mutated virus could possibly lead to worsened symptoms for those infected. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 466 human deaths linked to avian flu from 2003 to 2025.
Despite the health risks associated with avian flu, people, and groups have assembled to rally against the proposed cull. Protesters who are opposed to the mandated culling have camped near the ostrich farm and arranged music concerts to raise awareness and protest throughout the summer. The situation gained international attention across the U.S. border with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging the Canadian government to conduct further research on the virus by sparing the ostriches. As well, Trump’s administrator for Medicare and Medicaid services and television personality, Mehmet Oz, offered to give the ostriches a home on his Florida ranch. Despite U.S. Republicans backing the ‘save the ostriches’ movement, the Canadian government has neglected to respond on the same scale.
On September 10, after scientists analyzed the ostrich’s avian flu alongside other sources of avian flu, one of the biggest fears among parties was confirmed. Canada’s deputy chief veterinarian, Cathy Furness, alongside the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) stated in an affidavit the outbreak of the virus within the ostrich farm created a new variant of avian flu with stronger symptoms and possibility of contagion. It was observed by scientists at the National Microbiology Laboratory of Canada that exposing mice to the newly mutated virus killed them within a few days. Moreover, a literature review from a veterinary epidemiologist with the federal agency by scientists discovered ostriches, like ducks, are able to possess the virus without showing any signs of illness as cited in a CBC article. This is known as ‘silent shedding’ and results from traces of the virus spreading through urine, feces, and respiratory secretions.
Due to scientific knowledge gaps, it is unclear if the ostriches will be spared, and the interim will continue under the conditions the CIFA is able to take preparatory steps to execute the 400 birds. At the time of publication, the future of Universal Ostrich Farms’ flock remains uncertain.