Lucy the elephant’s license is up for renewal

The expiry date of the Edmonton Valley Zoo’s license for Lucy is coming up, and some Edmontonians want changes before the license can be renewed.

A group called LEAP for Lucy formed a small protest at the Legislature on Monday demanding Lucy’s living conditions be improved. They want the provincial government to ensure the Edmonton Valley Zoo is meeting all the standards listed in the Alberta Animal Protection Act. The group claims the zoo is failing to meet the Animal Protection Act because they say she is kept in solitary confinement, deprived of adequate space and many other distress causing factors.

“We have looked through Lucy’s health records and only two zoo-based elephant vets have examined Lucy,” said Mary-Ann Holm, The President of LEAP for Lucy. The group wants a third-party specialist to examine Lucy, as they believe the current standards are too low.

The zoo’s license for Lucy expires on March 31, and LEAP for Lucy doesn’t want the province to renew the license until they say certain standards in the Alberta Animal Protection Act are met. The Edmonton Valley Zoo was unavailable for comment on the subject.

​”We hope that citizens will look at both sides and understand that we simply want to extend Lucy’s life,” said Holm. The LEAP for Lucy Facebook page has over 700 likes and members have no plans to stop advocating for Lucy anytime soon.

The group plans to attend the City Council hearing on April 1. They say it is to show solidarity for Lucy. They have also requested for Lucy to be added to an upcoming agenda meeting.

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