The Federal Court of Appeal has declined an application from a B.C. ostrich farm for another stay order against a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) cull order for its 400 birds.
Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, B.C., was ordered by the CFIA in December 2024 to cull its flock of ostriches after the agency said that 69 birds died of a “flu-like illness” and testing showed two of the birds had H5N1, or avian flu.
The farm has said that its animals have recovered from the virus and have immunity and are being used for research. It has filed a legal challenge against the cull order, but the Federal Court upheld CFIA’s order in a June decision. The farm owners appealed that ruling, but the Federal Court of Appeal rejected the application in August. The farm owners previously applied for a judicial review of the CFIA order but the request was denied….