RF Robert Kennedy Jr. has written a letter to the president of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency requesting that ostriches at a farm in British Columbia not be killed in a planned slaughter. In a letter dated Friday and addressed to Paul MacKinnon, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services John F. Kennedy stated that studying the immune response of ostriches to avian influenza would be of “significant value.” The secretary, who claims to have discussed the cull with MacKinnon on Thursday, expressed gratitude to the Canadian agency for its willingness to collaborate on a long-term study of the approximately 400 birds at Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, British Columbia. The heads of the United States have co-signed the letter. Kennedy claimed that MacKinnon also participated in the conversation, as did the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. In the social media post, Kennedy stated, “We hope that this collaboration will help us understand how to better protect populations of humans and animals and may lead to the development of new vaccines and therapeutics.” We at HHS are thrilled about this chance for our governments to work together on a promising scientific partnership. The situation needs to be looked at again, according to the letter. It states, “We are fully committed to supporting the CFIA and Canadian farmers in safeguarding public health and animal welfare, as well as further studying this important and unique flock for scientific advancement.” A request for clarification was not immediately met with a response from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. On social media, Katie Pasitney, whose parents own the farm, thanked Kennedy. She wrote in a Facebook post, “Thank you for trying to protect these animals and cutting-edge science.” “Together, I know that we can create the most magical change out of this most challenging opportunity,” the statement reads. The RCMP said earlier on Friday that they were looking into the death of an ostrich at the farm, where protesters have gathered to stop a federal order to kill the birds. In the morning, Pasitney shared a video on social media in which they claimed that one of their “biggest, beautiful roosters” had been shot and killed by a large drone that had flown over the property between 1 and 2 a.m. In a subsequent post, Pasitney stated that Mounties had been collecting statements from witnesses and that the bird that died had a “clear entry wound and exit wound.” Although the RCMP have confirmed that an ostrich died and are conducting an investigation, they have not provided any specifics regarding the circumstances. After a cull order issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency earlier this month was upheld by the Federal Court, the Mounties previously stated that they were aware of “increased tensions” and protest activity at the farm. Due to an avian flu outbreak that killed dozens of birds in December and January, the agency wants the flock culled.
RFK Jr. asks Canadian regulator to reconsider ostrich cull at B.C. farm
