An animal rescue organization in the Okanagan has revealed an avian flu outbreak at its sanctuary.
Critteraid, based in Summerland, cares for a wide range of pets and farm animals, including cats, dogs, goats, pigs, horses, chickens and ducks. The pets taken in are often adopted out while the pasture animals are permanent residents.
“Over the past few days, our sanctuary family has been facing one of the most heartbreaking experiences in our history,” the non-profit organization said on Facebook.
“We are navigating a situation that has required immediate action, co-ordination with veterinary professionals, federal (CFIA) regulatory authorities, Interior Health and epidemiological divisions as we had (a) positive case of H5N1 at our sanctuary.”
Though the team and volunteers are “devastated,” they say they plan to co-operate with authorities and “are not hiding anything from our community.
“We are simply trying to move through this with care, accuracy and integrity, while also supporting our animals and each other.”
The bad news comes soon after the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
killed more than 300 ostriches at Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, in B.C.’s Kootenay region, because of an earlier outbreak of avian influenza there.
Supporters of the farm had flocked to the site and donated to Universal’s legal fight with authorities over the past few months, but the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the CFIA last week and
the cull went ahead
.
While Critteraid said the team may not be able to answer all questions right now as they are “consumed with this horror,” they vowed to be open and transparent about what happens next and will give an update soon.
“Our commitment to the animals, to transparency, and to this community have not changed and will never change,” it said in the social media post.
jruttle@postmedia.com
