A mother and daughter involved in a dispute over the future of a group of ostriches in British Columbia were arrested and subsequently released by RCMP on Tuesday. The duo, identified as Karen Espersen and Katie Pasitney, co-owners of Universal Ostrich in Edgewood, were taken into custody for obstructing Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) agents from performing their duties.
Dave Bilinski, a farm co-owner, confirmed their arrest in a video shared online. The RCMP liaison officer also mentioned the arrest in a separate video. The pair were warned of potential arrest after being given a warrant on Monday but chose to remain with the birds.
The officers mentioned that the mother and daughter could be released upon agreeing to certain conditions, including not returning to the farm. RCMP presence at the farm was at the request of CFIA to enforce the law and ensure public safety during the cull order dispute.
The ongoing tension at the farm has attracted global attention as the owners have been fighting the cull order for nearly a year. CFIA, with the support of RCMP, served a warrant on the property to address the cull order due to an avian influenza outbreak that claimed the lives of 69 ostriches in 2024.
The farm supporters clashed with authorities as emotions ran high during the warrant execution. The CFIA now has control of the property and is preparing for the cull, with hay bales being set up around the farm. The fate of the remaining ostriches, about 400, has been subject to legal battles between the farmers and CFIA, with the agency citing health risks from the virus.
The farmers have called for additional testing to determine the birds’ health status, while supporters have been urging businesses not to support the cull operation. Local businesses have reported threats and intimidation related to the cull issue. The region’s landfill has refused to accept the ostrich carcasses, and details on the cull process remain undisclosed by CFIA.
