saveourostriches com
The Fight to Save 400 Ostriches in British Columbia
There’s a farm in Edgewood, BC—Universal Ostrich Farms—where 400 healthy ostriches are living their best lives. Or they were, until the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) decided they should all be killed. That’s not an exaggeration. Every single bird. Gone.
Why? Because of two PCR tests.
What’s Really Going On?
The CFIA claims they found traces of avian flu through a couple of PCR test results. That’s their entire justification for ordering a mass cull. No visible illness. No clinical symptoms. Just two positive test results, which the farm and their supporters are challenging. The birds are healthy, active, and well cared for. But CFIA’s approach is “better safe than sorry,” even if it means wiping out a whole farm with no conclusive evidence.
This isn’t just about birds. It’s about trust in institutions, how decisions get made, and what happens when science gets boiled down to a binary test result without context.
The Website at the Center of It All
The farm’s response? SaveOurOstriches.com. It’s where everything’s being coordinated. Legal updates, fundraising, ostrich photos, court timelines, media interviews—it’s all there. And it’s not just about saving birds. It’s about defending fair treatment and common sense in agriculture.
The site is a hub for action. People are donating, writing to MPs, sharing updates, and getting behind the cause. There’s even a community auction with handmade goods and art to raise legal funds.
Meet the Ostriches
Here’s where it gets personal. These aren’t abstract animals in a spreadsheet. They’ve got names. Personalities. There’s Shelly, for example—a 10-month-old ostrich who already weighs 255 lbs and could grow to 450. She’s a tank. She’s curious and quirky, just like any smart animal raised with care. On the farm’s Instagram (@saveourostriches), you’ll see videos of her and others roaming around, healthy and alert.
People connect with that. It’s easier to dismiss a “flock of 400” than to ignore Speckles looking straight into the camera while a farmer pleads for her life.
The Legal Battle Is Brutal
This isn’t just a media campaign. The farm is fighting hard in court. Their legal team is trying to get injunctions, challenge the CFIA’s science, and stop the cull before it happens. It’s not cheap, and it’s not easy. Government agencies have deep pockets and endless paperwork.
The farm’s position is clear: don’t kill healthy animals without definitive proof they’re sick. Especially not based on two questionable test results that haven’t been supported with a broader investigation. There’s too much at stake.
This Isn’t Just a Local Problem
It’s tempting to see this as a quirky one-off case—some exotic birds, a rural farm, and a bureaucratic overreach. But it’s more than that. It hits on bigger questions:
- When does caution turn into overreaction?
- How do we balance biosecurity with actual evidence?
- Who protects small farms from disproportionate government decisions?
If this can happen to a well-run ostrich farm with no visible disease, what does that say about how other small farms might be treated?
Community Isn’t Sitting Still
The response online has been huge. People are sharing the story across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Hashtags like #SaveOurOstriches and #NoFarmersNoFood are catching fire. There’s something about the absurdity of it all—400 healthy birds ordered to die because of two tests—that gets people fired up.
And the movement isn’t just digital. Local supporters are showing up, journalists are paying attention, and organizations focused on animal rights and food sovereignty are starting to amplify the story.
So What Can Be Done?
Plenty. Start with the obvious—go to SaveOurOstriches.com. Learn the details. Get past the headline and actually understand what’s happening. It’s not complicated: a farm is being punished for something that hasn’t been proven.
If it makes sense to you, donate. Or share the story. Write your MP. Join the online auction. Tag your posts. Anything that helps keep the pressure on. Public scrutiny is often the only thing that slows down runaway bureaucracy.
Final Word
This situation shouldn’t be happening. Universal Ostrich Farms isn’t cutting corners or hiding behind half-truths. They’re fighting with receipts, with vet reports, with videos of healthy animals, and with community backing. That matters.
The CFIA needs to be held accountable for how it exercises its power. Science isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, especially when it’s used to justify killing hundreds of animals. Two test results should never outweigh 400 lives, especially when every other piece of evidence says the birds are fine.
Save Our Ostriches isn’t just a catchy name—it’s a demand for reason in a system that’s lost the plot. 🐦
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