Donald Trump‘s administration has taken a peculiar stand: Advocating for the salvation of Canadian ostriches.
According to The New York Times, the Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, British Columbia, faces a government-mandated cull after two birds tested positive for H5N1 avian flu last December. Despite the farm’s assertion that the outbreak has subsided and the majority of the 400 ostriches remain healthy, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) insists on culling the entire flock to prevent potential mutations and transmission risks.
RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz to the rescue
MINDBLOWING UPDATE ON THE UNIVERSAL OSTRICH FARM!!!!! ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. U.S. SECRETARY OF HEALTH ASKS CANADIAN GOV AND CFIA TO SPARE THE OSTRICHES. I'm so grateful to be a part of advocating for Katie Pasitney and her mothers farm.
— Jordan Kealy (@Jordan_Keal) May 24, 2025
Save Our Ostriches
Please… pic.twitter.com/fxWyyeTkDg
Now, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Director Dr. Mehmet Oz (Dr. Oz) have proposed relocating the ostriches to Dr. Oz’s 900-acre ranch in Florida.
Their plan, backed by billionaire John Catsimatidis, aims to preserve the birds for scientific research, highlighting their potential in studying disease resistance and developing antibodies. Okay, maybe that’s not such a bad idea after all, but even still, importing the birds does sound risky.
The CFIA, however, remains steadfast, emphasizing the need for a “stamping out” policy to protect public health and the poultry industry.
The farm’s owners have challenged the cull in court, arguing that the surviving ostriches have developed natural immunity and could offer valuable insights into combating avian flu.
Trump could have PTSD: Peanut the squirrel damage
Peanut the Squirrel, euthanized after being seized by NY state
— primalkey (@primalkey) November 2, 2024
RIP P'Nut pic.twitter.com/RmcxEa9OHb
Trump has a history of animal euthanasia intervention. In late 2024, New York State wildlife officials confiscated and euthanized Peanut, a pet squirrel, for being an unlicensed wild animal kept as a pet, despite protests, petitions, and a tearful outcry from followers.
At a campaign rally that year, Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, said Trump was “fired up” about Peanut’s death. According to the BBC, Vance said, “The same government that doesn’t care about hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant criminals coming into our country, doesn’t want us to have pets. It’s the craziest thing.”
Whether Trump has Peanut in mind while his administration ponders an ostrich rescue remains to be seen. While the Trump administration’s proposed ostrich plan may seem unorthodox, the complexities of disease management are underscored, as is the balance between public health measures and scientific exploration. As the debate continues, the fate of these ostriches hangs in the balance, caught between international policies and the pursuit of knowledge.
