New York City Supermarket Billionaire and Canadian Ostrich Advocates Team Up
In a surprising turn of events, animal-loving New York City supermarket billionaire John Catsimatidis has joined forces with emu-owning federal health Commissioner Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to fight for the rights of ostriches at a bird farm in Canada. The two influential figures are urging Canadian officials to reconsider their decision to cull nearly 400 ostriches at the Universal Ostrich Farm in British Columbia.
Catsimatidis, the founder of Gristedes supermarket and owner of 770 WABC radio, has been a vocal advocate for saving the ostriches since last month. He was alerted to the situation by animal-rights activists and has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about the issue. Catsimatidis believes that the ostriches deserve to live if they are healthy, and he is determined to see them spared from unnecessary harm.
Kennedy, along with the heads of the US Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health, recently sent a letter to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency urging them to reconsider their plan to cull the ostriches. Kennedy, who famously owns a pet emu, argued that the birds should be preserved for long-term scientific study rather than being needlessly killed. He emphasized the importance of studying the ostriches’ antibodies to gain insights into immune longevity associated with the H5N1 virus.
The letter co-signed by Kennedy, NIH Director Jay Bhattachary, and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary highlighted the potential consequences of indiscriminately destroying the ostriches. It pointed out that culling the birds without proper testing and evaluation could result in the loss of valuable genetic stock that may be crucial for future agricultural resilience. The letter also emphasized that avian influenza has been endemic in birds for thousands of years and that culling the ostriches would be a futile effort unless every wild bird in North America was exterminated.
Catsimatidis and Kennedy are determined to save the ostriches and ensure that they are given a chance to contribute to scientific research. They believe that the birds hold valuable information that could benefit not only the agricultural industry but also human health. As they continue to advocate for the ostriches, they are hopeful that Canadian officials will heed their plea and reconsider their plan to cull the birds. The fight to save the ostriches is far from over, but with the support of influential figures like Catsimatidis and Kennedy, there is hope for a positive outcome.
