‘Deep burial’ for ostriches at B.C. landfill as CFIA completes cull and disposal work

Tarpaulins cover objects on the ground inside a holding pen at Universal Ostrich Farms near Edgewood, B.C., on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. The pen had been filled with live ostriches a day earlier, before shooting broke out overnight, as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency began a cull of the flock. (Brenna Owen / The Canadian Press)

OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has completed its “active operations” at the British Columbia ostrich farm where professional marksmen were used to cull the flock following an outbreak of avian flu, the agency said in a statement Thursday.

The carcasses of 314 ostriches have been disposed of through “deep burial” at a B.C. landfill along with eggs and other material, it said.

The site at Universal Ostrich Farms near the tiny community of Edgewood in southeastern B.C. remains under quarantine and permission is required to enter areas that are subject to biocontainment measures after last week’s cull.

Every premises infected with highly pathogenic avian flu must follow a standardized path to resuming operations, the agency said, including cleaning and disinfection approved by the CFIA, before quarantine restrictions are lifted.

The farm has been provided documentation about the requirements, it said, noting there may be a “fallow period” with CFIA oversight after the cleaning process.

Representatives of the farm — who fought the cull order for more than 10 months before the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear an appeal — did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Katie Pasitney, whose mother co-owns the farm, told The Canadian Press the morning after the cull that shooting the ostriches was “inhumane” and the gunfire that went on for hours last Thursday night was “overwhelming.”

The CFIA has said it determined the use of professional marksmen was the “most appropriate and humane option” to kill the flock after consulting with experts experienced in managing disease outbreaks among ostriches.

The agency’s latest statement noted personal protective equipment is not required outside designated zones related to the quarantine.

Anyone who entered designated “hot” zones during the operation wore personal protective equipment “or were thoroughly disinfected upon exit,” it said.

“All equipment was also disinfected when leaving designated zones,” it added.

Workers in white protective suits could be seen inside the ostrich enclosure during the cull and disposal operation, while Pasitney has questioned why RCMP officers and others just outside the pen did not appear to be wearing such gear.

The CFIA statement also said any formal request for compensation over the loss of the flock would be reviewed in accordance with the Health of Animals Act and regulations related to the destruction of animals and other property.

It said those regulations set the parameters for any potential compensation.

“The objective of the (regulation) is to encourage the early reporting of animal disease, and the co-operation of owners in eradication efforts,” the agency said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 13, 2025.