Canadian court dismisses farm’s attempt to save ostrich flock despite efforts by RFK Jr.

A sign calling for the protection of ostriches at the Universal Ostrich Farms is displayed in Edgewood, British Columbia, on May 17, 2025. Aaron Hemens/The Canadian Press/AP/File

Canada ’s Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal on the proposed culling of a British Columbia ostrich herd, in a case that has attracted the attention of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his “Make America Healthy Again” movement .

The court’s dismissal paves the way for the flock of around 330 ostriches to be culled. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) had ordered the birds to be euthanized after detecting highly pathogenic avian influenza on the farm in late December 2024.

In a statement published Thursday, the CFIA confirmed that it would move forward with euthanizing the ostr