The operators of an ostrich farm in southeastern British Columbia say United States health official and former television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz has offered to save the birds from an impending cull by relocating them to his ranch in Florida.
But Katie Pasitney, whose parents own the farm, said they aren't interested in moving the flock, although they're grateful for the support.
Oz is the administrator for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is the second health official in the administration of President Donald Trump to try to prevent the cull, after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr intervened last week.
The 春色直播 Food Inspection Agency ordered the cull last year after an avian flu outbreak at the farm, and a judge tossed out a challenge this month that sought to stop the order.
Pasitney said she spoke with Oz on Monday, confirming a report in the New York Post quoting him as saying he offered to relocate the nearly 400 ostriches to his ranch.聽
"It's not like we're looking at transporting our ostriches anywhere, but I think what the message is (about) the growing support across the States," she said.聽
"Even people like Dr. Oz want to be involved and (want to) see these animals live -- even offering his 900 acre ranch in Florida."
She said New York billionaire businessman and radio host John Catsimatidis had connected her with both Oz and Kennedy.
"He's well connected and he's very passionate about this cause," Pasitney said.
Kennedy wrote a public letter to CFIA president Paul MacKinnon last week, saying the birds should be spared as there was "significant value" in studying their immune response to avian flu.
But the agency said Monday in response to a question about Kennedy's letter that the "humane depopulation" of the flock would proceed. It said dates and plans will not be shared publicly, citing privacy protections for producers.
Catsimatidis issued his own press release on Tuesday calling on MacKinnon to stop the planned cull.聽
鈥淲e鈥檙e calling for a temporary halt and an independent review. Let the U.S. FDA and veterinary scientists evaluate these birds鈥攄on鈥檛 destroy them before humane alternatives are considered," he said in the release.聽
"Dr. Oz is standing by to assist. We鈥檙e not asking for miracles, just common sense and compassion.鈥
Protesters have also gathered at the farm in an attempt to prevent the cull and Universal Ostrich Farm filed an appeal seeking a 鈥渟tay of the execution and enforcement鈥 of the culling order in Vancouver Monday.
The appeal claims the Federal Court 鈥渕ade multiple reversible errors鈥 when it upheld the agency鈥檚 decision to cull the ostrich herd earlier this month.
The notice of appeal says the Federal Court鈥檚 decision 鈥渢ook an unduly narrow鈥 view of the agency鈥檚 mandate under the Health of Animals Act, wrongly concluded that expert reports weren鈥檛 needed, didn鈥檛 fully consider the consequences of the cull decision, and didn鈥檛 properly determine if the agency鈥檚 denial of further testing of the animals was reasonable.
It also claims the farm鈥檚 lawyers in the Federal Court judicial review proceedings provided 鈥渋neffective assistance鈥 that 鈥渁mounted to incompetence, and resulted in a miscarriage of justice.鈥
It says "prior counsel had a financial stake in the destruction of the appellant鈥檚 ostriches, resulting in a blatant conflict of interest."
Lee Turner, one of the farm鈥檚 former lawyers, said Monday he 鈥渃ertainly did not鈥 have a conflict of interest, and his co-counsel Michael Carter did a 鈥渁 remarkable job with the short window of time that he had.鈥
This report by 春色直播was first published May 27, 2025.
