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The nation’s food inspection agency revealed it plans to start a total removal of numerous ostriches at a farm after the supreme court refused to halt the controversial cull.

Legal Obstacles Removed by Supreme Court Decision

On Thursday removed any legal barrier to starting the killings.

The ostrich farm, situated near the community of Edgewood, British Columbia, was first ordered in May to cull close to 400 ostriches, amid concerns of an spread of H5N1 avian flu.

Earlier this week, officials seized control of the business.

Nearly seventy birds have already died after the emergence of a influenza-like sickness.

Midweek, Canada’s supreme court granted an temporary halt on the eradication directive as it weighed whether to take up the matter.

Governmental and Public Reactions

The growing row over the birds – and a lingering distrust of government – have inspired demonstrators to descend on the farm, with many expressing their anger on online platforms.

The situation has also entered Canada’s federal politics.

In early October, the opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, was questioned twice by reporters whether he backed the demonstrators.

The Tory leader has avoided making specific comments on the issue, despite many within his party protesting against the cull.

He informed reporters the issue had been “mismanaged from the very beginning” but avoided mentioning the word the bird’s name.

Cross-Border Involvement and Offers

A number of high-profile figures from the US have lobbied authorities in Canada.

The US health secretary proposed to relocate the birds to his property in Florida.

An US billionaire has also appealed with the authorities to reverse its cull order.

Scientific and Ethical Debates

The Canadian federal government stated the food inspection agency was adhering to a eradication approach in order to contain the spread of avian flu, a move in line with broader advice from global health organizations.

However, animal rights organizations have called on the authority to perform additional tests on the birds to verify they are carrying the virus.

The ranch operators claimed that because the last bird flu death happened on January 15th, with the remaining birds seeming healthy or healed, the group has developed at least partial herd immunity against the virus.

They have also cast doubt on the scope and effectiveness of the tests on the birds.

Farm Spokesperson Response

Recently, the ranch representative, told the press that the authority was “murdering” birds in good health.

“They are prehistoric animals that have survived eons, but they will not survive the Canadian Food Inspection Agency,” she stated.

A co-owner said he was concerned there’s – in my opinion – there’s no fairness left”.

Judicial and Agency Findings

A federal court, on the other hand, determined that allowing the ostriches to stay alive could lead to the spread of avian influenza to different species, the poultry industry – or to people.

The authority has not said when it expects to start slaughtering the birds.

Culling Methods

A 2016 agency manual, acquired under public access laws, states ostriches can be euthanized by different means, the recommended being lethal injection, which requires multiple individuals: one to hold the ostrich by sitting on its back, one to hold the head, and one to inject the drug.

Personnel can also use gas or neck dislocation.

Members of the organization can only use firearms on the ostriches “as a last resort”, if they have a “skilled marksman” on the premises.

Latest Developments

According to media sources, shortly after the court ruling, agency workers began setting up more equipment and bright lights around a large hay-bale enclosure near the rear of the bird enclosure.