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Canada’s food safety authority has announced it intends to begin a “complete depopulation” of numerous ostriches at a farm after the country’s top court refused to halt the contentious slaughter.

Judicial Obstacles Removed by Supreme Court Decision

Thursday’s ruling removed all legal barrier to commencing the slaughter.

Universal Ostrich Farms, situated near the town of Edgewood, was first ordered in the month of May to cull almost four hundred birds, due to fears of an outbreak of bird flu.

Just days ago, authorities took over of the business.

Nearly seventy birds have previously perished after the emergence of a flu-like illness.

Midweek, the nation’s top court issued an interim stay on the eradication directive as it considered whether to take up the matter.

Political and Societal Responses

The increasing controversy over the ostriches – and a lingering post-pandemic skepticism – have motivated protesters to gather at the farm, with many expressing their anger on online platforms.

The situation has also entered Canada’s federal politics.

Earlier this fall, the Conservative leader, the Tory leader, was asked twice by reporters whether he supported the demonstrators.

The Conservative figure has steered clear of making direct statements on the issue, even though many within his political group voicing opposition against the cull.

He informed reporters the situation had been “mismanaged from the very beginning” but didn’t say the word “ostrich”.

International Interest and Offers

Several high-profile figures from the US have lobbied Canadian officials.

The American health chief proposed to relocate the birds to his ranch in the Sunshine State.

An US billionaire has also pleaded with the Canadian government to reverse its cull order.

Scientific and Ethical Debates

The Canadian federal government said the relevant agency was adhering to a “stamping out” approach in order to contain the spread of bird flu, a step consistent with wider guidance from global health organizations.

However, animal advocacy groups have called on the agency to perform additional tests on the animals to confirm they are infected.

The ranch operators said that because the last bird flu death occurred on January 15th, with the surviving majority seeming healthy or healed, the group has developed at least partial herd immunity against H5N1.

They have also cast doubt on the extent and reliability of the tests on the ostriches.

Ranch Spokesperson Reaction

Recently, the farm’s spokesperson, informed the press that the agency was “murdering” healthy birds.

“These are prehistoric animals that have survived eons, but they will not survive the government agency,” she said.

A partner said he was “afraid there’s – in my opinion – there’s no justice left”.

Court and Authority Findings

A federal court, on the other hand, determined that allowing the ostriches to remain alive could result in the spread of bird flu to other animals, the livestock sector – or to humans.

The agency has not announced at what time it plans to start culling the ostriches.

Eradication Methods

A 2016 agency manual, obtained under public access laws, states ostriches can be killed by various methods, the preferred being lethal injection, which needs multiple individuals: one to hold the ostrich by restraining it, another to secure the head, and a third to administer the injection.

Personnel can also use gas chambers or break the birds’ necks.

Employees of the agency can only shoot the birds in extreme circumstances, if they have a trained shooter on site.

Latest Updates

As per media sources, shortly after the judicial decision, inspection agents started installing additional gear and bright lights around a large hay-bale enclosure near the back of the bird enclosure.