Dr. Oz Offers To Import 400 Canadian Bird Flu Farm Ostriches

Dr. Mehmet Oz has offered sanctuary to 400 ostriches facing death in Canada due to bird flu.

Dr. Oz, the Trump appointed director of the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), along with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, have intervened to rescue the flightless birds after authorities in British Columbia pledged to cull them amid an outbreak of avian flu.

In a statement to Newsweek, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said it is "aware" of statements of Dr. Oz "offering to relocate the ostriches to his property in Florida," and that it has "a duty to protect Canadians from the serious potential risks that avian influenza presents to our people and our economy."

Why It Matters

In January, the CFIA ordered the birds be killed after 69 of the same flock at Universal Ostrich Farm in the West Kootenays died from the highly infectious virus. The farm has been fighting the order in court.

The U.S. is currently dealing with one of the largest outbreaks of avian flu in decades which sent egg prices soaring. The CFIA has said it believes some 14 million domestic birds in Canada have been hit by the disease.

What To Know

Oz is offering his 900-acre ranch in Okeechobee, Florida, as a new home for the beleaguered birds.

The CMS director said he had spoken with the owner of the ranch where the birds currently live, who told him he could house them.

Dr. Oz's intervention comes after RFK Jr. asked the CFIA to study the ostriches' response to the flu rather than cull them, saying it could "the opportunity for future insights into immune longevity" associated with bird flu, as well as "further our scientific understanding of the virus and the immune physiologic response."

"We are fully committed to supporting CFIA and Canadian farmers in safeguarding both public health and animal welfare and to further studying this important and unique flock for scientific advancement," he wrote a letter to CFIA president Paul MacKinnon.

Dr. Oz agreed with Kennedy. "We should study the birds to see the likelihood of them getting infected," he told the New York Post. "The Canadians don't seem to want to do this."

A spokesperson for the CFIA told Newsweek that Canada's response "has aimed to protect human and animal health and minimize impacts on the $6.8 billion domestic poultry industry and Canada's economy," which "supports Canadian families and poultry farmers whose livelihoods depend on maintaining international market access."

"When a depopulation is necessary, the CFIA provides an opportunity for all poultry farmers to develop the most appropriate plan based for their flock and facilities," the statement reads. "CFIA veterinarians and inspectors work with poultry farmers to see that depopulation is completed humanely using internationally accepted methods. We also provide guidance to producers throughout the process of depopulation, disposal, and cleaning and disinfection, so they can resume their operations as quickly as possible."

Dr. Oz and Kennedy's efforts come after New York billionaire John Catsimatidis announced he was joining activists in the fight to keep the birds alive.

What People Are Saying

Dr. Oz, speaking to The Post, said: "It's not just about ostriches," Oz said. "It's about all the birds. I'd rather the scientists make the determination—not bureaucrats. We found out what happened during the COVID pandemic, when the bureaucrats made all the decisions."

Catsimatidis told The Post on Monday: "I'm thrilled. Bring the ostriches to Dr. Oz in Florida where they will be safe. I agree with RFK and Dr. Oz that the ostriches aren't sick."

Upholding the cull, Canadian Federal Court Justice Russel Zinn said, according to a May 13 CBC report: "Personal losses must be weighed against the broader public interest in protecting public health and maintaining trade stability. Avian influenza is a virus capable of causing serious harm to both animals and humans, with significant implications for Canada's poultry businesses and international trade status. To combat threats like this virus, Parliament has authorized the CFIA to act decisively, making swift decisions with far-reaching consequences, often under conditions of scientific uncertainty."

What Happens Next

The fate of the ostriches yet hangs in the balance.