This Thanksgiving long weekend, a small but dedicated group of animal activists are asking what Edmonton's Lucy the Elephant has to be thankful for.
About a dozen protesters lined the entrance of the Edmonton Valley Zoo Saturday afternoon, holding signs that demonstrated their views against Lucy's confinement.
"It's basically just to educate people, let them know that she really shouldn't be here, she shouldn't be alone," said Tove Reece, with the group Voice for Animals. "And now that winter's coming, she's going to be confined almost all the time in her little barn."
She also believes Lucy's confinement is what's causing the elephant's health problems, which Reece says include foot and breathing problems, arthritis, and obesity.
This is just the latest in a string of attempts to move Lucy to an elephant sanctuary in a warmer climate, where activists believe she would be happier and healthier. In March, former game show host Bob Barker joined the debate, even offering the City $100,000 dollars if it would allow independent experts to examine Lucy.
The City has maintained that moving Lucy would kill her, though.
But animal rights groups refuse to give up their fight, and have tried to pursue their battle through legal channels.
However, PETA and Zoocheck Canada suffered a blow in August, when the Alberta Court of Appeal upheld a Court of Queen's Bench ruling from last year that said the groups can't sue the City over the dispute.
The activists then filed an application with the Supreme Court, in hopes that Canada's highest court would weigh in on the matter. As they wait for an answer, Reece says she and others won't let people forget about Lucy's plight.
"We're going to keep being here for Lucy, to remind people that Lucy shouldn't be here. She should be in a sanctuary."
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