A sign calling for the protection of ostriches at the Universal Ostrich Farms is displayed at the farm in Edgewood, B.C., on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Hemens
May 29, 2025 - 6:00 AM
Canada’s politically Conservative voices that rallied behind the so-called freedom convoy during the pandemic, as well as some more controversial figures, have taken up the cause to save the Edgewood ostriches.
About 400 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farm in the Kootenay are to be culled after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The owners of the farm filed a Federal Court appeal this week seeking a “stay of the execution and enforcement” of the culling order, which was first issued last year during an outbreak of avian flu that went on to kill 69 of the ostriches.
Since the order to execute the ostriches came down, people around the world have been making noise in an attempt to save the birds.
James Sowery was at a protest in Alberta in February 2022 during the height of the freedom convoy movement, and now he’s raising awareness about a convoy to Universal Ostrich Friday, May 30.
Sowery is currently raising funds for his legal defence in a case that stems back to a protest in 2022.
Rebel News published a lot of positive reporting on the freedom movement, and is collecting donations to keep its reporter Drea Humphrey on the scene at the ostrich farm.
During a Regional District of Central Kootenay board meeting Christine Massey spoke against the district allowing the ostriches to be dumped in the landfill after the cull. Massey also questioned the existence of COVID-19 and the avian flu.
Massey speaks at 2:45:32.
The district ultimately decided to “withhold acceptance at any landfill” of dead ostriches from the farm.
Controversial American Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken out against the ostrich cull.
Kennedy wrote a letter to the CFIA asking them to save the ostriches. Kennedy has been controversial in his role as Health Secretary since he has promoted the idea that vaccines could cause autism, as well as other claims that have sparked criticism.
Former TV host and administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz offered to bring the ostriches down to his ranch in Florida, but his offer was turned down by the owners of the farm.
Oz has been a controversial figure for years since his TV show promoted questionable cure-alls and other ideas with weak supporting evidence.
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