Federal appeal court hears argument to save ostriches set for slaughter after bird flu exposure

A fight to save nearly 400 ostriches earmarked for slaughter in British Columbia that have received global notoriety and support of the biggest players in U.S. health landed in an Ottawa courtroom Tuesday. A lawyer representing Universal Ostrich Farms, Umar Sheikh, argued at a hearing held by the Federal Court of Appeal that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency plans to apply a “one-size-fits-all” approach to execute its “stamping out policy” on the flock. The policy sees birds exposed to avian influenza killed. The virus is a public health concern that scientists fear could develop into a human pandemic.