Lucy is a 34-year old female Asian elephant living at the Valley Zoo in Edmonton.
All female elephants have basic physical, psychological and social requirements. They require very large spaces, complex natural terrain, pasture, lots of things to do, other elephants to socialize with and a moderate climate.
Lucy's life at the Valley Zoo is deficient in many respects. She is socially isolated, lives in a tiny barren enclosure, endures a number of ongoing health issues that the zoo has not been able to resolve and is forced to live through Edmonton's cold winters.
The Valley Zoo claims Lucy cannot be moved, that she is not a social elephant, is accustomed to Edmonton's weather and is quite happy where she is. Many of their claims are nonsensical and some ignore established scientific fact. As well, Lucy's continued social isolation is contrary to accepted management practices for elephants in captivity around the world.
While the Valley Zoo and the City of Edmonton try to paint a rosy, almost idyllic, picture of Lucy's life, the reality is quite different. A highly social, extremely intelligent, wide-ranging animal that was born in the tropical forests of Sri Lanka should not live alone in a tiny, barren zoo exhibit in a northern city.
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Latest News and Announcements
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Lucy—the Solitary Elephant at Edmonton’s Valley Zoo (August 24, 2010)
Statement: Judge Rooke did not rule on the merits of the case—he simply decided that the groups must use other means to raise these issues. The judge’s ruling today demonstrates what little legal protection exists for animals who are kept in grossly substandard conditions and offers a road map to compel the authorities to do their jobs and protect this elephant from future harm. Judge Rooke points out that it should be possible to rely on local law enforcement to order Lucy moved and to charge the zoo with cruelty, but so far that hasn’t happened. The ruling in no way vindicates the city—the judge has simply commented on a matter of procedure. We fully intend ...
Posted 26 Aug 2010 11:12 by Bhavithra Aloysious
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Court Action Halted on Procedural Issue, Lucy's Suffering Never Discussed (Aug 23, 2010)
On August 20, 2010, after weeks of waiting Associate Chief Justice John D. Rooke ruled that the Zoocheck Canada/ People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals legal action against the City of Edmonton on behalf of Lucy the elephant cannot move forward. The determining factor in his decision was his opinion that the proceeding was not the correct procedure to seek a remedy for the harm alleged to Lucy. "Of course, we're disappointed, but these things happen. They got off on a technicality. Our legal team doesn't agree with his opinion, but he's made his ruling. What's unfortunate in all this is that the overwhelming affidavit evidence from a cadre of world renowned elephant experts confirming ...
Posted 26 Aug 2010 11:11 by Bhavithra Aloysious
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Edmonton Challenges Zoocheck/PETA Lawsuit (May 4, 2010)
The City of Edmonton, represented by lawyer Stephen Phipps, argued in court that the lawsuit initiated by Zoocheck Canada and PETA on behalf of Lucy the elephant should be struck down. Claiming the groups have no authority to launch the lawsuit, Phipps also argued that the suit was an abuse of process because other avenues for dealing with the Lucy situation are available. Clayton Ruby, attorney for Zoocheck and PETA, argued that Phipps was wrong and that the City of Edmonton must act to bring itself into compliance with provincial laws regarding wild animals in captivity. He said it was noteworthy that the judge indicated there was nothing stopping the Edmonton Humane Society and the province of Alberta from taking ...
Posted 26 Aug 2010 11:10 by Bhavithra Aloysious
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Originating Notice Requesting Declaratory Relief, Expert Affidavits and Supporting Documents (February 2, 2010)
Originating Notice Requesting Declaratory Relief
Affidavit of Dr. Philip K. Ensley
Affidavit of Dr. Joyce Poole
Affidavit of Dr. William Keith Lindsay
Affidavit of Dr. Henry Melvyn Richardson
Affidavit of Julianne Woodyer
Affidavit of Lisa Wathne
Affidavit of Tove Reece
Posted 26 Aug 2010 11:19 by Bhavithra Aloysious
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PETA & Zoocheck Sue City of Edmonton (February 1, 2010)
On behalf of PETA
and Zoocheck, respected attorney Clayton Ruby will initiate legal action
against the city of Edmonton over the conditions under which an ailing elephant
named Lucy is forced to live at Edmonton's Valley Zoo—conditions that the
groups say are cruel and unlawful. In a letter sent to Mayor Stephen Mandel in
October, PETA and Zoocheck warned that legal action would be taken against the
city in an effort to seek enforcement of Alberta's Animal Protection Act if
Lucy's distress was not relieved. Ruby, along with representatives of PETA and
Zoocheck, will discuss the case at a news conference on Monday after the
application for declaratory judgment is filed in Alberta's Court of ...
Posted 26 Aug 2010 11:01 by Bhavithra Aloysious
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Perfect in Herself (January 24, 2010)
by: Gay Bradshaw, Psychology TodayWho then is free? The wise man, who has dominion over himself; whom neither poverty, nor death, nor chains affright; brave in the checking of his appetites, and in contemning honours; and, perfect in himself, polished and round as a globe, so that nothing from without can retard, in consequence of its smoothness; against whom misfortune ever advances ineffectually. —Horace The Roman poet speaks from experience: he was no stranger to poverty, death, or misfortune. His father had been a slave and Horace himself fought alongside Brutus, of et tu fame, in the bloody civil wars that followed Julius Caesar's assassination. Unfortunately, their armies were eventually defeated, Brutus committed suicide, and the sword-carrying ...
Posted 26 Aug 2010 11:00 by Bhavithra Aloysious
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