Music festival raises funds to pay B.C. ostrich farm’s legal fees

The phrase “music saves lives” is being put to the test to help save the nearly 400 ostriches that call Edgewood, B.C., home., as a local farm continues to fight the cull order by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) after an avian flu outbreak last year.

“Our legal bills are definitely mounting, and money is ammunition as always in the battles that we face, and we are taking this as far as we need to,” said Katie Pasitney with Universal Ostrich Farm Inc.

It’s taking them across the country. Pasitney and her parents, who own the farm, are travelling to Ottawa for  July 15 appeal hearings that are set to proceed on an expedited basis.

In a statement, the CFIA said “The timeline recognizes the risks associated with the delays in the CFIA’s ability to exercise its regulatory authority, granted to it under the Health of Animals Act.”

It also says, “The CFIA looks forward to a resolution that allows for the continued implementation of its regulatory response, which aims to protect public and animal health, and minimize impacts on the domestic poultry industry and the Canadian economy.”

The fundraising music festival is the most recent event to be championed by their supporters, who continue to find ways to help.

“That money is for our legal fees, operational costs of the farm, since we have been put under quarantine,” said Pasitney.

The CFIA says the farm has not complied with quarantine requirements under the Health of Animals Act and has been fined $20,000, which they are disputing.

If forced to pay, the farm owners hope that the weekend-long Live Stock Music Festival will help cover it.

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