The Canadian Press Posted: Feb 05, 2015 4:46 PM MT Last Updated: Feb 05, 2015 4:46 PM MT
The Edmonton Valley Zoo's lone elephant will not get a chance to try on a winter coat from a group concerned about her well-being. The gift left for Lucy at the Edmonton Valley Zoo. (Chandra McQuarrie) Friends of Lucy chipped in $250 to buy the extra-extra-extra large waterproof and insulated garment to protect Lucy from the cold. Zoo spokeswoman Debi Winwood says Lucy doesn't need the coat, which Winwood says is more like a blanket. She says it will be donated to an elephant orphanage in Africa or Asia. Animal rights groups have been after the zoo for years to move the aging Lucy from a climate they say is too harsh for her. The zoo says Lucy has been examined by a veterinarian and deemed too sick to travel because of respiratory troubles. 
An elephant wears a coat, similar to the one offered to the Edmonton Valley Zoo for Lucy. (Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand) |