The Canadian Food Inspection Agency culled the last of about 300 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms on Thursday, ending a year-long battle over an avian flu outbreak.
The story was extensively covered by Canada's Rebel News.
Gunshots echoed as federal agents, backed by more than 100 RCMP officers, shot the birds in a contained pen. The CFIA confirmed the operation concluded Friday.
The saga began in December 2024 when highly pathogenic H5N1 killed 69 ostriches at the farm. The agency ordered the entire flock destroyed under its stamping-out policy to prevent virus spread, a protocol endorsed by the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Owners Dan and Cindy Dueck fought the order through courts, arguing survivors had developed immunity and could aid antibody research. A B.C. Supreme Court injunction paused the cull in September 2025, but the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear a final appeal Wednesday, lifting the stay.
Protesters gathered outside the property, some arrested for vandalism. Offers to relocate the birds, including from U.S. television host Dr. Mehmet Oz and billionaire John Catsimatidis, were rejected.
The CFIA said no evidence supported ongoing research claims. Compensation of up to $3,000 per bird will be paid. Avian flu has hit dozens of B.C. poultry farms this year, but the ostrich case drew global attention over welfare and policy concerns.