A New York billionaire has become obsessed with saving hundreds of rare ostriches from being slaughtered by Canadian officials because he believes they are crucial to groundbreaking medical research.
Supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, owner of D’agostino and Gristedes, told Daily Mail he is ‘outraged’ at what is happening in Canada and is trying to prevent the flock of birds from being slaughtered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Ostrich eggs contain high concentrations of IgY antibodies, which are being studied for their potential to provide immunity from, and treatment of, diseases and viral infections.
‘These are ancient animals, beautiful animals that are one million years old and could hold the key to medical breakthroughs,’ Catsimatidis told Daily Mail.
The nine foot African natives have become a passion project for the supermarket mogul after he heard about a family’s plight to save the animals on their farm.
Katie Pasitney, whose family owns Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, British Columbia, recently shared her plight on WABC AM radio.
‘We have millions of people in North America who have a heart and feel,’ he said.
The supermarket mogul brought in Dr. Mehmet Oz, the head of Medicare, and Robert Kennedy Jr., Trump’s health secretary, to help with his mission.
He also wrote a personal letter to the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney citing an ‘urgent humanitarian appeal regarding the ostriches’.
He is yet to here back from the PM’s office.
‘Canada and the United States are partners. We are part of the same America. We’re part of North America together. Right? And I appeal to the prime minister for a little bit of common sense,’ Catsimatidis said.
The ostriches at the Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood, British Columbia
Katie Pasitney calls the ostriches ‘family’ and says that each ostrich has their own name and personality
‘What’s happening with these iconic ancient animals is a travesty, 400 innocent souls who’ll be lost due to lack of common sense,’ he said.
The trouble on the farm started in mid-December when 69 ostriches died from what was believed to be H5N1 virus, or bird flu.
Pasitney said that someone made an anonymous call to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency claiming that their birds had the avian influenza.
Officials from the agency came down to their farm and tested two dead birds. After the results came back positive for the H5N1 or HPAI virus the farm was put under quarantine.
Ostrich eggs (pictured) are believed to carry antibodies that could provide valuable scientific insight into immunity in helping to cure disease
‘They only tested two deceased birds based on a PCR test not all the others so we don’t know what they died from,’ she said.
She explained that a blood test or tissue test on the deceased birds were never performed which would have given them a more accurate reading.
However, the test results never reached the accredited lab in Winnipeg, Canada because officials already signed the kill order to kill every animal on the property.
To make matters worse, she said they were ordered to kill all the animals themselves and dispose of them on their own.
If the farm goes against the quarantine rules and conducts any of their own testing they will get fined $200,000 per bird and would face up to six months in jail, per animal.
Pasitney said it has been 195 days since their last bird died, all the ostriches on the farm have been healthy and they are still doing business with their trading partners.
Pasitney said the ostriches all have their own unique personalities
‘When we asked them (CFIA) to test our healthy animals they denied us that right. We have been fighting with them for seven months,’ she said.
‘And, in the last four-and-a-half months they have not been here to check on the animals though they want to say we have H5N1 and they are worried about public health and safety.
‘We are 135 kilometers away from any major city. We are not near any poultry facilities, and we have not stopped trading with our different countries.’
Catsimatidis, who also owns WABC Radio and Red Apple Media, understands the clock is ticking. He has been lobbying aggressively on the matter calling it ‘a moral crisis’, and explaining that ‘lives are on the line’.
‘The U.S. government has offered every recourse to test these birds and see if they pose any threat before they’re unnecessarily slaughtered,’ he said.
‘This is a death sentence for 400 innocent animals who could be saved with a simple test.’
Pasitney, who like other farmers are concerned about their future and expressed her gratitude towards Catsimatidis who brought her family’s farm to the attention of Dr. Oz and RFK.
‘We developed a relationship over saving animals,’ she said. ‘If I didn’t have this strength and support and his voice I don’t know if we would still be here.’
Supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis has been lobbying to save the ostriches from slaughter
The letter that Catsimatidis sent to the Prime Minister of Canada
The second page of the letter that the supermarket mogul sent. He has not heard back from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
Pasitney grew up with the ostriches and said they have been part of her family for decades.
She shared that each bird has their own name and unique personality. Some bear the more traditional names such as, Frank, Betsy, Bernie, Troy, and Connor. While others bear a quirkier moniker.
‘Regretta because you will regret when she pecks you,’ Pastiney said. ‘She has a really hard peck.’
‘Then there is Q-Tip. He’s got a really long neck and a really white fluffy head so he looks like a Q-Tip.’
The birds possess a distinctive long neck, long legs and a small head. They stand at at towering 9 feet high, and have two toes on each foot.
They are known to be very fast runners – they can run up to 45 miles per hour and they peck all day long, Pastiney shared.
‘They peck an average of 4,000 times a day and mostly do it out of curiosity, and to also taste and to feel,’ she said.
On July 15, the Federal Court of Appeal heard arguments in the case and the court will soon determine if the birds will live or die.
The wait has been agonizing for Pasitney and her family.
‘We are waiting for a verdict right now. It can be any day and it has been emotional for our whole family.
‘This is our livelihood these animals. They have been raised on the farm for the past 35 years.’
She added: ‘We would never be able to start over.’
