He loves Lucy, and he’s going to try to save her.
The Price Is Right’s former host and animal rights activist Bob Barker will head to Edmonton in an attempt to sway officials to send the 34-year-old Asian elephant south.
“If we’re successful in moving her to a sanctuary, she’ll live the life nature intended,” he said yesterday from his California home.
Barker will visit Edmonton Sept. 16-18, and will bring a team of elephant experts who hope to examine Lucy, though he’s doubtful the welcome will be anything but warm.
“The zoo, so far, has been less than co-operative,” Barker said. “It isn’t essential that we see her, but we’d like very much to see her.”
Valley Zoo operations manager Dean Treichel claimed he hasn’t received official notice of Barker’s impending trip. He said a decision to allow Barker and his team to examine Lucy and her surroundings hasn’t been made.
“He’s certainly welcome to come down to the zoo. It’s a public facility, and he’s welcome to come in,” Treichel said.
Zoo officials claim Lucy, who suffers from arthritis and a malpositioned molar, is healthy, but too sick to move.
“Either she’s healthy enough to travel, or she’s not in great health. You can’t be both,” Barker said while reading through Lucy’s health records.
Barker said he hopes attaching his name and fame to Lucy’s plight will rouse city officials from inaction.
He and his team were denied access to appear at a council meeting, but have planned a luncheon with councillors.
“I’m just so depressed that the zoo won’t do what is obviously the best thing for Lucy,” he said.
