![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/70c8fc80.png\")
<\/p>\nAs Canadian Food Inspection Agency workers prepared for a cull of hundreds of ostriches at a British Columbia farm, they came under a variety of harassment from opponents of the operation, said a senior official with the agency.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
They peaked with the \u201cextreme\u201d example of a\u00a0CFIA\u00a0worker and their family facing \u201cin-person threats\u201d of \u201cphysical violence and sexual assault,\u201d forcing the agency to relocate the couple and their children, the official said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been an escalating pattern of threats, both online and in person to\u00a0CFIA\u00a0personnel, including those who were present at the farm, but not limited to folks on the farm,\u201d the official said in an interview with The Canadian Press.<\/p>\n
They agreed to an interview on Thursday on conditions of anonymity for security reasons \u2014 including that their voice not be broadcast in case it was recognized \u2014 in some of the first public remarks by a senior\u00a0CFIA\u00a0official since the Nov. 6 cull.<\/p>\n
Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n
\u201cThese kind of threats have been of an intimidating nature, of a harassing nature, of a threatening physical violence nature,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
The official said staff faced a barrage of harassment over the cull at Universal Ostrich Farms in southeastern B.C., which was ordered more than 10 months earlier amid an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu. Marksmen shot and killed 314 ostriches inside a hay-bale enclosure on a night of cold, drenching rain.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0CFIA\u00a0official said they \u201cdon\u2019t think the farm set out to create the environment that unfolded,\u201d referring to the threats and harassment.<\/p>\n
However, \u201cnotwithstanding perhaps their intentions, whether directly or deliberately or not, they did, I think, give the space for some of this to happen,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n
Katie Pasitney, daughter of one of the farm\u2019s co-owners, Karen Espersen, said any threats or harassment directed at\u00a0CFIA\u00a0staff or their families is \u201ccompletely unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe condemn violence and intimidation in all forms, without qualification,\u201d she said in an email Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the same time, it is deeply troubling to hear anonymous allegations suggesting that our farm \u2018gave space\u2019 for harassment to occur.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pasitney said the farm has consistently called for lawful and peaceful engagement and it did not encourage or tolerate threats, harassment or violence toward anyone.<\/p>\n
Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n
The RCMP has said that in the lead-up to the cull there were \u201cweeks of threats and intimidation towards\u00a0CFIA\u00a0agents and contractors,\u201d requiring a police presence at the farm to keep the peace.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t![\"Get](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767930311_275_national.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tGet daily National news<\/p>\n
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.<\/p>\n
While the\u00a0CFIA\u00a0official said the threats have calmed down, about two weeks ago the agency\u2019s office and vehicles in Calgary were damaged and vandalized.<\/p>\n
The agency has seen feces smeared on office windows, while its email inboxes and phone lines were flooded with messages from those opposing the cull.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe certainly accept that people can email and write to us if they don\u2019t agree with decisions,\u201d the official said. \u201cThere were people who did so respectfully.\u201d<\/p>\n
But many were \u201cquite vile\u201d in their language and threats, the official said.<\/p>\n
Pasitney said many people spoke out and peacefully protested against the cull. \u201cIf any individuals crossed the line into threatening or abusive behaviour, that is not something we support, condone, or control.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018NOBODY WANTS TO DO THAT\u2019<\/p>\n
The decision to shoot the ostriches was part of the agency\u2019s early planning for the cull, developed through consultation with international experts on ostriches, the official said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me be clear, we don\u2019t wake up in the morning hoping to be able to go out and kill animals. Nobody wants to do that,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n
Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n
But the agency must be able to manage the avian influenza, and do so according to the internationally recognized stamping-out policy for the disease, they said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you think about the number of animals, the size of the animals and the lack of facilities on the property to be able to contain them, and just the realities of how you would humanely cull that number of animals, using marksmen was the best option based on all of the advice and all of the factors that we considered.\u201d<\/p>\n
The day after the cull, Pasitney said the cull was \u201cinhumane\u201d and called the stamping-out policy \u201cbroken,\u201d describing Universal Ostrich Farms as \u201cground-zero for change.\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0CFIA\u00a0official said the policy is aimed at protecting human health, animal health and Canada\u2019s $6.8-billion poultry industry, including $1.75 billion in exports.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have reciprocal agreements, whereby it\u2019s expected that Canada will manage disease just as we would expect any countries from whom we import animal products to control disease,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tTrending Now\n\t<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Untitled-design-3.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769875456_599_CP175705708.jpg\")
<\/p>\n