Dr. Oz urges Canada to toss aside court ruling to save the ostriches: ‘Maybe they’ve got secrets’
Dr. Mehmet Oz is calling on the Canadian government to reverse a recent court decision that allows the slaughter of 400 ostriches potentially exposed to avian flu, arguing that the birds could hold valuable scientific insights.
The popular TV doctor, along with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and New York grocery magnate John Catsimatidis, has launched a campaign to save the ostriches, currently housed on a farm in British Columbia.
Oz acknowledges the birds were infected with the H5N1 virus but points out they survived, making them worth studying rather than killing.
“Maybe they’ve got secrets that can help other birds—and more importantly, humans,” Oz said during an appearance Sunday on Catsimatidis’s 770 WABC radio show, Cats Roundtable.
Last week, a Canadian court ruled in favor of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, allowing the agency to proceed with culling the flock to prevent the potential spread or mutation of the virus. The decision is now being appealed to Canada’s Supreme Court.
“These birds survived a deadly illness,” Oz emphasized. “That’s a scientific miracle worth investigating. America and Canada should be working together to study them.”
Oz has even offered to relocate the birds to his Florida ranch for safekeeping and further research. “This is what the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement is all about—curiosity, courage, and compassion,” he said.
Catsimatidis joined the effort as an animal lover, while RFK Jr.—a former emu owner—has cited scientific reasons for supporting the cause.
The controversy began after 69 ostriches died at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, British Columbia, between December and January. Although the remaining flock appears healthy, Canadian officials maintain that culling is necessary to protect against viral mutations and maintain international trade relationships.
Oz says he understands Canada’s concerns but believes this case is exceptional. “This flock could hold the key to breakthroughs in understanding avian flu,” he said. “Why destroy a potential solution that could benefit the entire world?”
Universal Ostrich Farms has filed for another stay with the Supreme Court of Canada in hopes of preventing the cull.
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