4w ago

The opposition to the liquidation of H5N1 exposed Birds

og image source

so a little back story.

a flock of ostriches in British Columbia, Canada were exposed to H5N1 after some died from the infection, and there has been determined opposition to the "stamping out" protocol; that is, the full culling of the entire herd to stop the spread of H5N1.

the "stamping out" protocol is standard as outlined by the World Organization for Animal Health.

The Universal farm, run by business partners Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski, have obstructed the culling order by forming alliances with those who preceive government overreach, those who don't trust government organizations and mandates used to contain viruses, and animal rights activists/lawyers such as Camille Labchuk

interestingly Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has advocated for the sparing of these birds as well.

Why won't the government re-test the surviving ostriches?

source The owners and supporters of the Universal farm have demanded the CFIA re-test the surviving birds for avian flu. The farm asserts the birds have developed "herd immunity" and would be resistant to future infections.

Assessing a flock for H5N1 infection is done by gathering a sample from a bird's mouth, nose or cloaca — an orifice that acts as a vagina, urethra and anus — and analyzing it with polymerase chain reaction testing. The samples must be taken to a specialized containment laboratory for analysis in order for the results to be reliable, according to the federal government.

Angela Rasmussen, a professor and researcher of virology at the University of Saskatchewan, said even if the farm's surviving birds were tested, older ostriches often do not develop antibodies against viruses like avian flu, meaning the tests cannot reliably determine whether or not the birds have immunity to H5N1.

"Simply having antibodies does not guarantee immunity to H5N1," Rasmussen told CBC News.

This means the birds may still be a vector for disease and could transmit or contract avian flu from wild birds, she said.

The CFIA has refused to test the surviving birds, stating that its policy is to enact a cull within 48 to 72 hours of an order being issued. Adopting a "wait and see" method when avian flu is detected to see if birds survive or die, it says, would be ineffective and prohibit it from being compliant with best practices and international trade agreements.

Subsequent court rulings have also found that whether or not avian flu is still present in the flock is immaterial because what's at play is whether avian flu was present in December 2024, when the cull order was first issued, not whether it is still present months later due to legal delays.

Meanwhile the farm and its supporters say they have been threatened with fines and jail time if they conduct their own testing.

The Health of Animals Act states penalties could apply if a person disobeys CFIA orders, with maximum fines up to $50,000 and six months in jail on a summary conviction, or up to $250,000 and two years in jail on indictment.

CFIA's biosecurity orders restrict the removal of any ostrich material from the property, including samples for testing, as the farm is currently quarantined in a containment zone.