(New York, NY) – There’s a long-established legacy with 77 WABC under John Catsimatidis — animals rights will not be ignored. Recently, we’ve been at the front end and ringing alarm bells as tied to concerns with off-shore wind energy projects, and the potentially negative impact on whales. For years the station has hosted radio shows dedicated to animal rights. And there’s even been efforts to foster unity via Giant Pandas.
Now, that same spirit and fight extends to a flock of birds, living on a farm — in our neighboring nation to the north. While so much has been made of the back-and-forth over trade, and tariffs, and how the US-Canada economic partnership should exist, an injustice has gone unnoticed by too many. With the worst of the bird flu outbreak seemingly behind us, a residual reminder is that a flock of ostriches in British Columbia face killing, or “culling”, if a court decision doesn’t break their way.
Ostriches are ancient creatures, and likely haven’t changed all that much from the large, flightless birds that roamed the earth millions of years ago. There’s even speculation that their DNA could contain genetic code or otherwise provide the scientific community with valuable aspects of research — especially in the bio-medical field. So why would anyone want to kill an entire flock?
The flock in question, at The Universal Ostrich Farm, has been operated by Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski since 1995. It houses around 400 ostriches in a remote area of B.C.’s West Kootenay region. It’s not some typical farm either. These aren’t birds being raised for food such as chickens, or turkeys. Rather, the group focuses on producing bird oil, feathers, skins, and antibodies for research, not meat. It collaborates with institutions such as Japan’s Kyoto Prefectural University for antibody studies, aiming to develop treatments for H5N1 — itself a strain of the bird flu.
H5N1 is admittedly a highly pathogenic avian influenza. It primarily affects birds and poultry. It can also infect mammals, including humans, though human infections are relatively rare. The virus is highly contagious among birds and can cause severe illness and death in domestic poultry.
It was back in November of 2024 when it appears wild ducks may have infected the ostrich flock in British Columbia. In early November, 2024 is when it appears to have gotten going. By Christmas, Espersen says he noticed illness in some ostriches, with symptoms including red eyes and green feces. Testing confirmed H5N1 in two deceased birds on December 31, 2024. Over December and January, approximately 69 ostriches (about 10% of the flock) died from the virus.
It didn’t take long for the Canadian government to respond with a blunt, broad brush. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ordered the entire flock be killed by February 2025. In essence, the agency was saying to treat the ostriches like any other chicken or turkey raised for food.
It also didn’t take long for prominent animal rights activists such as Catsimatidis to act. He made the ostriches death order and the farm’s fight for individual liberties a focus of his radio show. And, he sent a pointed letter to Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, urging action on behalf of the defenseless animals.
Herein we’ve included the letter’s contents, which Catsimatidis headed as an “urgent humanitarian appeal.” In the letter, he notes that several members of the Trump Administration have gotten involved — including Health Secretary Bobby Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz — Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Dear Prime Minister Carney,
First, congratulations on your appointment. I wish you great success as you begin your leadership of one of the world’s most admired democracies.
I am writing to you with a deep sense of urgency regarding the nearly 400 ostriches at the Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, British Columbia. These animals, ordered destroyed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency following an avian flu outbreak, have drawn international attention and sparked widespread ethical debate.
A critical hearing has now been scheduled for July 15 in Ottawa, at which time a final decision may be made on whether these animals will be culled. The immediacy of this date leaves a narrow window to take compassionate, science-informed action-and I believe this moment calls for leadership that reflects the values of both our nations.
While the Federal Court of Appeal has granted a temporary stay of execution, this pause is only that-temporary. This is a unique opportunity for Canada to demonstrate a balanced, humane approach to a complex situation.
On this matter, I am honored to have the support of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr.
Mehmet Oz-both longtime friends and respected voices in health, science, and humanitarian issues. Both have submitted letters advocating on behalf of the ostriches, and Dr. Oz has also offered the resources of the United States Food and Drug Administration to independently evaluate the condition and health of the animals.
If you or your office would like copies of their letters, we would be pleased to forward them immediately.
Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Oz, and I would welcome the opportunity to stand with you in a joint public statement that highlights cross-border compassion and thoughtful decision-making.
On a broader level, I want to emphasize that Red Apple Group is one of the largest importers of Canadian oil into the United States. I value deeply the economic and diplomatic ties between our nations and have always believed that our shared interests go beyond trade-they include the moral responsibility to act wisely and humanely when the world is watching.
I also count myself fortunate to be friends with both President Donald Trump and President Bill Clinton. From both, I’ve learned that real leadership often means taking action when it may be easier to look the other way.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this urgent appeal. I look forward to the possibility of working together in the coming days.
–John Catsimatidis
Similarly, Secretary Kennedy penned a letter that we’ve posted here:
Meanwhile, the Canadian government argues their “stamping out” policy gives them no wiggle room and that the birds must be destroyed in order to avoid the spread of the bird flu. But the policy classifies the ostriches as similar to chicken and turkey — despite the fact they’re used for research.
It is worth noting the CFIA argues a novel reassortment of the virus was linked to a human case in Ohio. And the ostrich farm’s open-air setup means potential contact with wildlife. Canada’s poultry export business is worth protecting as well, given nations such as Japan and Mexico restrict imports in connection to bird flu outbreaks.
But the farm’s owners aren’t just willing to accept their flock’s destruciton. They argue that the surviving ostriches (around 330) have shown no symptoms since January 19, 2025, suggesting possible herd immunity. They proposed studying the birds for antibodies rather than culling them, citing their unique resilience and research value. They also noted the farm’s remote location and lack of meat production minimize public health risks.
After a judge granted a stay of execution in January, the legal battle continues. Most recently, in June, a federal appeals court in Canada granted a temporary stay. Now, following hours of arguments this week — the situation lays in the hands of a new appeals court decision.
The farm has received significant backing from within the local community. Supporters have camped at the site to protest the cull, viewing it as government overreach. A GoFundMe and petitions were launched. Local officials, including MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) Steve Morissette, supported the farm. Dr. Oz even offered to relocate the ostriches to his farm in Florida — but the owners of The Universal Ostrich Farms declined.
The cull remains on hold pending the Federal Court of Appeal’s review, expected by late July 2025. The farm continues to advocate for testing and research, while the CFIA plans to proceed with “humane depopulation” if the appeal fails, citing ongoing risks. The CFIA has offered up to $3,000 per ostrich killed as compensation, but the farm emphasizes the emotional and scientific loss over anything related to finances.
Another, fascinating aspect of the entire debate centers on the ostriches themselves, and what they may or may not represent to the scientific community. As stated, their status as ancient creatures lends itself to cutting-edge research and the ongoing ability to discover something from our past world. It’s been suggested that pharmaceutical companies see this as a potential threat, given ongoing or existing medical technologies — including vaccines. Catsimatidis has noted that Big Pharma would therefore have a reason to worry potential findings that could disrupt their profits — as related to ostrich antibodies.
In essence, ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farm may indeed have antibodies or immune responses valuable for H5N1 research, supported by their survival rate and ongoing studies. However, claims that their ancient lineage grants unique resistance are speculative, pending further research. Hence why the work at the farm is so vital — and why so many are fighting for their survival.
77 WABC will keep up the watch, as many “push for a pardon” — at Universal Ostrich Farm.
