The fight to move Lucy the elephant out of Edmonton’s Valley Zoo just went up a notch as animal rights groups have obtained legal representation.
Zoocheck Canada and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have obtained a legal opinion written by prominent Toronto-based lawyer Clayton Ruby.
Ruby said unless the City of Edmonton agrees by Nov. 19 to allow Lucy to be shipped to a sanctuary in California, he will file a lawsuit alleging that the city is violating the Alberta Animal Protection Act by keeping the sick elephant in distress. “This is a very sick elephant.
She’s got stress from boredom, she’s become obese from lack of exercise and she’s got arthritis,” Ruby said. “Keeping an animal in these conditions violates the animal protection act.”
Ruby said he’ll argue that the zoo is also violating provincial standards by housing Lucy alone.
with files from the canadian press
