Onlookers ‘distraught’ as BC ostrich cull seemingly underway

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The only thing louder than gunshots in the countryside near Englewood, British Columbia, were the screams of people frightened by the ostrich culling they had apparently witnessed.

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“I heard over 100 shots,” said Ottawa freelance journalist Chris Dacey, who was at the scene. “They put floodlights outside, drove everyone out of the area, but those shots were heard by everyone on the highway.”

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Less than 12 hours later, the Supreme Court of Canada decided it would not hear the case. farmers call to save at least 350 ostrichesThe shooting came from the birds' pen, described as a “kill box,” where they had been herded earlier in the day by workers in hazmat suits from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

“Wild Scene” shocked viewers

“It's a wild scene,” Chris Dacey said. “People are so upset, they're crazy.”

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Neither the RCMP nor the CFIA would confirm anything, despite the CFIA acknowledging it had received a request for comment. But the expressions on the policemen's faces told the whole story. It was one dark scene.

“It was hard to tell who was shooting, but it sounded like rifle shots,” Dacey said.

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The whole debate about whether these ostriches are carriers of bird flu or have developed herd immunity becomes irrelevant once they are culled.

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Tests need to be done

Offers to test them were rejected. They will need to be tested now and those results will need to be made available to the public to determine whether it was necessary to kill this herd.

They definitely didn't look sick.

Karen Espersen, co-owner Universal ostrich farms Inc., reported Toronto Sun this month, that in her opinion her birds are not sick and there is no need to destroy them.

She told RCMP, who held the line while the cull was apparently carried out.

“These are healthy birds,” she told them. “You are murderers.”

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She's adamant there are better ways approach to this, including learning from birds. Major business players have offered to pay for the birds to be tested or even transported to another location where they will not kill them.

The Liberal government disagreed. They will have a lot to answer for when the sun comes up. Not only because of the callousness of this culling. But for the unwillingness to look for alternatives.

Tough dispute resolution

It reminds me of the harshness and inflexibility of the pandemic, where no middle ground was offered, although there were many available middle ground.

The cruelty and coldness of the government was no match for the people who loved these birds and wanted them kept for research.

For more than a month, Dacey has been documenting the arrival of special bins, platforms built on hay bales above the culling area, and special vehicles on site. He said everyone knows that once the Supreme Court decides the birds no longer have any legal action, they will be killed.

After more than 100 shots, everyone was ready for more, he said. He fears that by the end of the evening there will be no more living ostriches left.

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