📰 Government Orders Mass Killing of 400 Healthy Ostriches Despite Natural Herd Immunity and Breakthrough Antibody Research

#Canada #BritishColumbia #ChristinaAguayoNews

A remote farm in British Columbia has become the center of a global debate over science, ethics, and government power after authorities ordered the killing of 400 healthy ostriches — birds that had achieved natural herd immunity and were producing “super eggs” rich in antibodies capable of neutralizing viruses like C*VID-19 and H5N1 bird flu.

It all began in December 2024, when signs of H5N1 avian flu appeared at Universal Ostrich Farms near Edgewood, B.C. Sixty-nine ostriches died, but the remaining flock survived and was declared healthy by January 2025.

However, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) soon issued a “notice to dispose” under its “stamping-out policy”, aligned with World Health Organization protocols. Farm owners Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski, supported by scientists and advocates, argued that the birds had achieved natural immunity and posed minimal risk.

Despite calls for new testing, the CFIA doubled down — quarantining the farm and halting operations. In May 2025, the order to kill the flock was formalized, sparking outrage from critics who called it “wasteful, authoritarian, and anti-science.”

🥚 Super Eggs: Nature’s Hidden Weapon

In 2021, amid the C*VID pandemic, the farm shifted from meat production to antibody research, partnering with Kyoto Prefectural University and Immune Biosolutions. By exposing ostriches to viral antigens, scientists developed eggs with immunoglobulins that neutralized viruses at a fraction of the cost of lab-made alternatives — with each bird producing up to 400 grams of antibodies per year.

These “super eggs” were used in nasal spray therapies, diagnostic tools, and vaccine prototypes, offering new hope against respiratory pandemics.

The same birds, now immune to H5N1, could hold the key to curing avian flu in other species — yet the government still insists on culling them, claiming it will protect trade and prevent mutations.

Critics counter that with the flock healthy for nine months and isolated in open pastures, killing them is unjustifiable — especially when relocation offers, including Dr. Mehmet Oz’s ranch in Florida, were rejected.

⚖️ A Legal Battle for Survival

Public support has surged. Dozens of supporters formed human barricades around the farm, while RCMP and CFIA agents arrived with a search warrant on September 22. Two advocates, including spokesperson Katie Pasitney, were arrested during the standoff.

On September 26, the Supreme Court of Canada issued an “interim-interim stay”, temporarily halting the mass cull pending an appeal decision due October 3.

For now, CFIA agents control the site, feeding the birds under veterinary supervision. Espersen and Pasitney call the ruling a “miracle”, but warn that the ostriches’ future remains uncertain.

They are now appealing to the public for help, asking anyone who can intervene — scientists, legal experts, or philanthropists — to help save this unique flock before it’s too late.