Supreme Court of Canada to Decide on B.C. Ostriches Case
The Supreme Court of Canada will announce next week whether it will hear a final appeal against an order to cull a flock of ostriches at a farm in British Columbia. This decision involves Universal Ostrich Farms' challenge to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's order issued on December 31, 2024, to cull the birds following an avian flu outbreak.
Possible Outcomes of the Decision
- If the court refuses to hear the appeal and lifts the stay on the cull, hundreds of ostriches could be legally culled without further obstacles.
- If the appeal is accepted, the fate of the ostriches will be determined after a full hearing.
Farm's Response and Public Sentiment
Katie Pasitney, spokesperson and daughter of one of the farm owners, shared her emotional response on Facebook, stating her “stomach sank a little bit” upon hearing about the impending decision. She urged people to pray for the farm:
“I walk in faith as my feet hit the ground each day. This story has already been written. The ending has been decided, we just need to believe.”
Legal Perspectives
Legal experts believe the Supreme Court is unlikely to take on the case, given that both the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal have ruled in favor of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Emmett Macfarlane, a political science professor at the University of Waterloo, commented last month:
“The odds of the Supreme Court hearing the farm's appeal are very low.”
This case highlights the complex intersection of animal health regulations and legal appeals in Canada.
Author's summary: The Supreme Court's upcoming decision will determine whether a BC farm's legal battle to save its ostrich flock from culling continues or ends, amid strong expert doubts on the appeal's prospects.