Last year,
Cher's organization Free the Wild helped rescue Kaavan,
a solitary and suffering elephant in Pakistan. Now,
they've set their sights on helping Lucy. Lucy is a
45-year-old Asian elephant housed in inhumane
conditions at the Edmonton Valley Zoo in frigid Alberta,
Canada — even being left in the freezing snow.
Lucy's situation is urgent. She suffers from
numerous health conditions, has
difficulty walking around, and is withdrawn and
depressed. Over the past several years, her condition
has deteriorated significantly. Captive elephants, including
those trapped at zoos, have an average lifespan of 45
years (Lucy's current age) — meaning she is running out
of time.
For over a
decade, the Edmonton Valley Zoo has claimed that
transporting Lucy to a sanctuary could put her life at
risk due to an undiagnosed breathing problem. But it
simultaneously refuses to allow outside elephant experts
— professionals who are not biased or associated
with the zoo — to examine her. It's even
previously turned down world-renowned specialists who
have offered to come visit and assess Lucy for free, at
no cost to the zoo or city! Luckily, Cher is
determined to keep trying for Lucy's sake. She has now
sent a personal letter to the mayor of Edmonton as well
as the zoo, offering to bring in an international expert
to ascertain both what Lucy's condition is and how Free
the Wild can help. To prove it cares about Lucy,
the Edmonton Valley Zoo MUST agree to work with Cher and
Free the Wild. It should immediately allow this
specialist in to see Lucy. Sign the petition to help
this voiceless captive
animal!
