Spirit, a hen and member of the flock for 20 years, has tragically passed away. This follows an incident nearly 2 weeks prior, when low-flying RCMP drones startled the flock, causing panic. Following the accident, Spirit was denied adequate veterinary care by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA); the farm's owners were prohibited from providing assistance, and Spirit passed away alone, suffering from dehydration and distress. Despite this, the farmers assert that Spirit did not die in vain.
Scott Anderson, Member of Parliament for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee, has introduced e-petition e-6857, calling on the federal government to halt the cull of the remaining ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farm. The petition urges the government to pause the cull pending independent veterinary assessments and to ensure transparency and accountability in the CFIA's actions.
Summary of Rebel New's Interview With Ostrich Farmer Dave Bilinski On Spirit's Passing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFt9XY-MQkA
1. Spirit’s Death Under CFIA Custody
Spirit, a long-loved ostrich injured during the RCMP drone incident, died while in CFIA care.
Farmers say she was neglected and dehydrated, even though she had been recovering before the seizure.
The CFIA refused to allow the farmers or their vet to treat or even check on her, leading to her preventable death.
2. Lack of Transparency and Humane Care
CFIA only communicates through slow email chains that go through Ottawa, making emergency care impossible.
Farmers offered electrolytes and help through police liaisons, but CFIA ignored or mishandled them.
CFIA veterinarians allegedly showed incompetence, assessing Spirit’s temperature just by looking at her.
3. Arbitrary Restrictions and Bureaucratic Control
Farmers were arrested for trying to feed or care for their own animals.
Officials broke promises that the farmers could re-enter the property peacefully.
CFIA blocked cameras and limited public visibility, while Rebel News documented the events.
4. Inhumane and Unscientific Practices
CFIA spent millions of taxpayer dollars but did not provide 24/7 veterinary oversight.
Not a single ostrich out of 400 has been tested for avian flu, the justification for the cull.
CFIA “biosecurity zones” appear to be a performance, as RCMP vehicles cross them without disinfection.
5. Scientific and Expert Support for the Farm
The farm says it has support from:
Harvey Suzaki, former BC and Canadian poultry industry leader.
The Charles Darwin Foundation, recognizing the scientific value of ostrich antibodies.
Spirit’s eggs contained H5N1 antibodies that could have value for human and poultry immunotherapy.
6. Emotional and Moral Dimensions
Spirit was more than livestock — she was a beloved companion and the symbol of the flock.
Her death represents a moral breaking point and could serve as a rallying cry against CFIA cruelty.
Farmers want her body returned for a proper burial and as evidence of neglect.
7. Warning to Canadian Farmers
The farmers warn that CFIA can enter any farm on suspicion alone, without testing, and order a full cull.
They point to another BC widow who lost her herd and pets under CFIA suspicion of tuberculosis as a similar case.
8. Message to Canadians and the World
The farmers call on Canadians to demand transparency and compassion.
They say this fight is about truth versus control, and compassion versus compliance.
MP Scott Anderson's Petition E-6857
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-6857
A Federal Politician who has shown unwavering support for the Ostrich Farm from the beginning, and the kind of National Leadership that is needed on this keystone issue for Canada on the issue of property rights, genuinely following the science, and showing humanity and compassion.
The Petition has reached 28K signatures in 3 days. Amazing. Please share this official Government petition to everyone who cares about the gross overreach a government agency is forcing upon a small farm and their beloved pets.
Here is the petition's contents :
Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled
Whereas:
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ordered the destruction of Universal Ostrich Farm's healthy research flock without independent confirmatory testing, despite no clinical signs of disease for months;
CFIA's custody of these birds has raised serious animal welfare concerns, with witnesses reporting dehydration, injuries, and inadequate care for these large ratites;
Section 48(2) of the Health of Animals Act requires meaningful consideration of treatment and alternatives before destruction, a requirement that appears unmet in this case;
This operation appears to consume significant public resources daily for security and logistics, without transparent oversight or justification; and
The Supreme Court of Canada has issued an interim stay, recognizing the merit of concerns raised.
We, the undersigned, Citizens or Residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons in Parliament assembled to
1. Direct the Ministers of Agriculture and Health to immediately pause any cull pending independent veterinary assessment of evidence-based alternatives, including vaccination, treatment, or surveillance protocols;
2. Require the Standing Committees on Agriculture and Health to urgently examine this matter, receive testimony from CFIA and affected parties, and report recommendations for modernizing Canada's disease response to balance public health, animal welfare, and fiscal responsibility; and
3. Mandate full transparency from CFIA through immediate public release of all non-sensitive records regarding decision-making, animal welfare protocols, and operational costs.
Spirit Did Not Die In Vain
Katie said that Spirit's did not die in vain.
By continuing to speak out, holding the CFIA accountable, and demanding real change to the authoritarian approach taken in dealing with our Canadian farmers, with real possibilities of extending into the care of people's urban pets, Spirit's death will become the catalyst for meaningful change for the better in Canada.
Thank you everyone for supporting this farm, this cause.