'Star' emu to be culled in bird flu outbreak

An emu called BB is among 61 birds to be culled to stop the virus spreading

An animal sanctuary has said it is "devastated" after being told it needs to cull all its birds, including an emu called BB, amid an avian flu outbreak.

Happy Pants Ranch in Kent, home to mostly disabled or rescued animals, posted on Facebook that 61 birds will be killed after the virus was detected on the site.

"The only tiny amount of consolation I can take from all this is that none of these birds would have even been alive if it weren't for the ranch," said Happy Pants manager Amey James in a Facebook post.

"At least in the years they've been here, they've had more love, care and freedom than anyone could ever wish for," she added.

The announcement comes after the government said it confirmed "highly pathogenic" bird flu on a site near Newington on 27 October.

A 3km (1.86 mile) protection zone affecting poultry owners has been declared around the premises.

Scientists say the risk of bird flu to humans is low, with transmission from birds very rare.

'Ripped my heart out'

Ms James vets first came to the sanctuary after several ducks suddenly fell ill and died within 24 hours.

They initially thought it was a toxicity case, but then turkeys and cockerels were also affected.

Testing by the Animal and Plant Health Agency then confirmed the presence of the virus.

Multiple species of bird are to be culled

Ducks, geese, chickens, seagulls, a rhea, pigeons and pheasants - all with their own names and individual characters - are among the other birds to be culled, according to Ms James.

She told BBC Radio Kent it was "doubly hard" because BB the emu - who Ms James called a "real star" and popular with visitors – was not showing any symptoms.

"I don't think in all my 10 years of running the sanctuary and keeping birds, I've ever had a more devastating blow," Ms James added.

"This has ripped mine - and all the crews' - hearts right out."

Happy Pants Ranch is home to about 450 disabled or rescued animals, including a blind goose, incontinent pug and epileptic pig

Ms James added that the sanctuary was "just extremely unlucky to get" bird flu, which she likened to a "lottery".

"We did everything we could in terms of biosecurity," she told BBC Radio Kent, urging other poultry owners to take "every precaution they can".

Defra has recorded other outbreaks of bird flu, including a case recorded in a commercial property near Lakenheath, Suffolk, on Sunday.

Two cases were recorded in a property near Bedale in Yorkshire and a property near Penrith in Cumbria on Sunday.