Zoo to reply to appeal, still seeks winter room for Lucy
By Jeremy Jagodzinski
EDMONTON — The City of Edmonton is considering ways to winterize the Valley Zoo home of Lucy the elephant before the new year, as PETA continues its fight to have her transferred to a U.S. sanctuary.
Lucy’s enclosure meets all necessary standards, the city says, but she could use more room to exercise when it’s too cold to go outside. The Edmonton Humane Society recommended finding that extra space before Dec. 31.
- Lucy the elephant stops to rest while on her morning walk on the grounds of the Edmonton Valley Zoo at 13315 Buena Vista Road NW in Edmonton, Alta. on Oct. 6, 2011. Photograph by Jeremy Jagodzinski.
“Right now what we’re doing is exploring options for meeting the recommendations of a report of a third party specialist who examined Lucy,” said Mary Lou Reeleder, communications business partner with the city of Edmonton, “and one of the things he noted was to make sure that she had ample opportunity to exercise year-round, which she does, except for at times of unusual climate weather where it’s challenging for her to go outside.”
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals believe her living quarters are a long way from acceptable. The group is especially concerned for Lucy’s health in light of the upcoming winter months. It has petitioned the Supreme Court of Canada in the hopes of appealing the decision of the lower court. The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the case, ruling that PETA had no legal grounds to have brought the case before the court in the first place.
“We’re very afraid that another harsh winter could kill her,” said Jeffrey Kerr, general counsel and senior vice-president of corporate affairs for PETA. “We want the Supreme Court to take the case so that we can present the evidence that the city is violating the Animal Protection Act.”
The Valley Zoo has yet to begin any renovations, but the commitment to make the improvements by year’s end remains.
“The Edmonton Humane Society conducted a review of Lucy’s care and they confirmed after that review that we are meeting all the legislative and other standards that we’re required to meet,” said Reeleder. “However, they did have some recommendations on how we might continue to improve Lucy’s care.”
In the letter sent from the Humane Society after the review, it said that although the city had met the minimum requirements to ensure the elephant enclosure was meeting standards, it also said “Lucy’s current living situation is not ideal.”
A dissenting judge from the provincial court of appeal agreed with PETA’s position and said that due to the unique details of the case, it should be allowed to go to trial.
- Lucy the elephant is walking with her handlers after eating a large pile of leaves the morning of Oct. 6, 2011, at the Edmonton Valley Zoo at 13315 Buena Vista Road NW, Edmonton, Alta. Photograph by Jeremy Jagodzinski.
PETA’s immediate concern centres on Lucy’s ability to exercise in a large area that’s free from the sub-zero temperatures coming soon.
“Lucy should not have to suffer through one more lonely miserable winter in what’s basically a solitary room at the zoo,” said Kerr. “Her confinement is slowly killing her and the cold only contributes to all of her health problems.”
A link on the city of Edmonton’s website specifies that even though Lucy is only required to have 400 sq. ft. of indoor space, as set out by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Valley Zoo has been able to give her access to 2,100 sq. ft.
Reeleder said the flooring in Lucy’s enclosure is heated, and she has access to sand and “enrichment activities” as well.
In a way, Reeleder said, the entire zoo is the elephant enclosure, because Lucy has access to the entire space and it’s only on days of extreme cold that she can’t go out. Still, that has become the key issue the zoo plans to address.
Edmonton has been known to fall into lengthy periods of frigid weather. But options are being explored to find additional indoor facilities before the end of the calendar year in order to provide Lucy with enough space.
For PETA, anything short of sending Lucy to an elephant sanctuary down south is unacceptable, which is why it is challenging the decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal. The group’s opinion is that Edmonton just can’t be a suitable environment for an elephant.
Now that PETA has set the legal process in motion, it is the city of Edmonton’s job to respond to the complaint.
The city has 30 days to file a response, but first it will take time to review the documents submitted by PETA and to put together the response that the city plans on sending said Reeleder.
“The legal process will probably take some months, Kerr said, “but we hope the sooner the better precisely because of the harsh winter that’s nearly on Lucy again.”
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The problem with this article is one of omission and bias. It goes into great detail about the Association of Zoo’s space requirements and that the VZ greatly exceed this. However it fails to mention that the AZA regulations say that female elephants must not be kept alone. Perhaps most importantly, the Alberta Standards for Zoos in Alberta states that animals must be kept in groupings natural to their species. This is just one of the ways that the City of Edmonton is breaking the law in regards to Lucy.
I think it is mildly ironic, Tove, how your comment seems so blatently biased in itself, omitting the fact that multiple veterinarians have stated that a move would kill Lucy.
First of all, only ONE outside elephant specialist veterinarian has ever examined Lucy. This veterinarian has a history of bad judgments. Dr. Jim Oosterhuis was the only one of a panel of 11 specialists that recommended keeping Maggie in Alaska. He had them build a $100,000 treadmill instead – which she refused to use. She was as sick as Lucy, was successfully moved to California & can be seen happy, healthy & friends with other elephants at PAWS. Oosterhuis has certified circus elephants as healthy that died 2 days later of long-term tuberculosis. He has shipped out old, sick, infected elephants from his own zoo in order to bring in a new young breeding herd. As a friend said, I would not trust him with my goldfish. Also, as for the AZA, they say 400 sq. ft. is adequate for an elephant? That’s 1/4 the total floor space of my small house, .I try to picture an elephant in it & can only laugh, and lose respect for any one who imagines otherwise. The citizens of Edmonton have been mislead, misinformed, & outright lied to. And you are welcome to ask for documentation of my statements – I am ready to produce the literature & links to back them up.
Recently I submitted a Freedom of Information Request to the City of Edmonton regarding Lucy requesting the names of all the vets that have examined her as well as copies of the records. I did this following a statement in the media by the mayor that a “plethora of vets” have been involved in Lucy’s treatment and diagnosis – while true in some measure I think it is important to note that many of these vets have never examined Lucy and all but one have no significant experience with elephants. Through this request covering the timeframe from 2005-May 2011 (over 200 pages) the City provided 22 vet names: 11 work at a lab, four are or have been “zoo” vets (not elephant vets), four have been peripherally involved (via consultation, anesthesiologist, Health Canada vet inspection), two vets specifically for physical therapy/ rehabilitation, and only one vet with elephant experience consulted related to this “move prohibiting undiagnosed ailment”. Dr. Oosterhuis-the one vet-is the same vet (only 1 of 11) that said Maggie from Alaska should not be moved … Maggie who is now happy at PAWS in California. And it is only Dr. Oosterhuis that is said that the move may cause Lucy further distress and could cause her death. Further, the City and Zoo have restricted access to other elephant vets and experts that have indicated their willingness to examine Lucy – these examinations would place NO financial burden to the taxpayer as many individuals and organizations have already offered (on numerous occassions) to pay for any costs. I echo Tove’s concerns – why is the City of Edmonton so commited to keeping Lucy in isolation (all literature shows that a female elephant should never be kept on her own) and, at the same time, blatently breaking the provincial standards. Sadly, I believe Brenda is correct regarding the citizens of Edmonton being misled – however, I must admit I am amazed at how it seems they are all too willing to accept whatever they are told regarding Lucy despite the many informed voices saying otherwise. I too am willing to provide literature and links regarding the information I have provided.
Along with a breathing problem, Lucy has numerous other illnesses and ailments caused by her stay at the zoo. Other than the zoo’s vet, who has admitted himself he is a “cat and dog vet” and whose only experience with elephants is learning first hand with Lucy, only one other “expert” has said moving Lucy will kill her. However, numerous world renowned experts and specialists say she could be moved. Both The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee and Performing Animals Welfare Society in California have moved elephants that were older and sicker than Lucy and they handled the move amazingly well. The “expert”, Dr.Oosterhuis, that the zoo consulted has an incredibly shady past and as has been mentioned was the lone vet out of 11 to vote against moving Maggie from Alaska. Maggie has been living at PAWS for a few years now and not only have some of her zoo-caused ailments have gotten better, some have competely cleared up. Her handlers themselves have said she is now in “elephant heaven” living in a NATURAL habitat with other elephants. The world renowned experts I mentioned have offered their time and expertise to the zoo at no cost and the zoo has utterly refused. They will only allow Dr.Oosterhuis to examine her. Quite the coincidence huh? I would think a city and zoo that claim to want only whats best for Lucy and for her to be happy, would be doing ANYTHING in their power to do whats best. Yet they continue to put up road blocks. Edmontonians will fight tooth and nail anything the city says yet on this people will believe whatever comes out of their mouth.
To Tove Reece or anyone else who made a comment…
I thank you kindly for your comments and/or criticisms- healthy open debate is a hallmark of any free press it today’s society. I would love to have the opportunity to speak with any one of you- especially those of you that didn’t like my piece!- so that we could have a healthy debate and perhaps educate one another on some new facts of the story. If anyone’s interested in debating with me or keeping me informed on any new developments in this situation, please email me and I could then be convinced to do a follow-up story and you could add your two cents. Email: