B.C. ostrich farm neighbours sue RCMP, CFIA following cull

B.C. ostrich farm neighbours are suing the RCMP and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, alleging trespassing.

It was a story that captured global headlines: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) culling hundreds of birds at the Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, B.C., last year after avian flu was detected.

Now, the owners of a neighbouring property—Alyson Turnbull and her parents Trevor Klug and Margaret Greba—have filed a civil claim against the RCMP, the CFIA and the federal government.

They allege the property was seized for 52 days in what they claim was ultimately trespassing.

They want to be compensated for the damage they say was caused by the CFIA and RCMP during the operation.

“They created two new entranceways to the property,” Turnbull told CTV News on Thursday while outlining the extent of the damage she claims the defendants made during their time on the property.

“One to bring in their hay bales, and the other (to) avoid the protesters and truck out the carcasses. They drove in basically star-shaped formation through the hay fields all the time. They got stuck in the mud, they collapsed a culvert.”

The cull at the ostrich farm became highly politicize, with prominent figures including U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaking out against the CFIA operation.

But Turnbull says regardless of anyone’s opinion on the cull, police and the CFIA should not have been allowed to operate on her property, which she says is beside the Universal Ostrich Farm but not involved in any way with the birds.

“Anybody who had something to do with that, I would like them to be held accountable because they’re in positions of significant trust, and we had our rights completely trampled,” Turnbull said.

While Turnbull and her parents say they had no involvement with the ostrich farm, there are family links. Universal Ostrich Farm co-owner Karen Espersen is her aunt.

Turnbull adds the fence that kept the ostriches in slightly crossed the property line into her family’s property.

“There is no connection to Universal Ostrich Farm,” Turnbull insisted. “It’s completely separately owned. It doesn’t have any ostriches on it. It is owned by separate people. It has been owned separately for 18 years.”

CTV News received this reply from the CFIA:

“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has received the civil claim served to the CFIA and Royal Canadian Mounted Police from parties associated with the property neighbouring Universal Ostrich Farms. The CFIA will be responding in accordance with the timelines established by the British Columbia Supreme Court.”

The RCMP told CTV News it is aware of the civil claim, but that it would be inappropriate to comment. It added that the Department of Justice will review the claim and that a statement of defence for the RCMP would be issued through the appropriate court process.

The plaintiffs’ claims have not been tested in court.

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