The Stolen Life of Lucy: How PETA Fought for the Loneliest Elephant in Canada
For 48 years, Lucy the elephant has languished in cruel imprisonment at the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Canada. Far from her lush home in the Sri Lankan forest, she has endured decades of solitary confinement, abuse, exploitation, and neglect at the seedy facility. Now, her story takes center stage in Lucy: The Stolen Lives of Elephants—a powerful documentary that exposes the suffering of complex, intelligent elephants used for “entertainment.”
48 Years of Misery: Lucy the Elephant’s Story
Humans tore Lucy from her family as an infant and sold her to the Edmonton Valley Zoo, where she still languishes today. Asian elephants share extremely close emotional bonds with their families and live in complex social groups led by matriarchs. Mother elephants are fiercely protective and nurturing, banding together to raise infants in the herd. These highly social animals mourn their lost loved ones, establish lifelong friendships, and console one another in times of stress.
Losing her family was likely a traumatic, terrifying ordeal for the baby elephant—but this was just the beginning of a lifetime of suffering. The Edmonton Valley Zoo has imprisoned Lucy for nearly half a century, depriving her of the companionship she desperately needs.
If she were in her natural home, Lucy would roam the vast tropical rainforests and grasslands of Southeast Asia, traveling dozens of miles a day while foraging for food. At the Edmonton Valley Zoo, she spends much of her time in a small barren barn. The now 50-year-old elephant has shown signs of arthritis, obesity, chronic foot ailments, and upper respiratory problems—all aggravated by Edmonton’s frigid climate, which is ill-suited to an Asian elephant.
PETA’s Actions for Lucy
In 2010, PETA, Zoocheck Canada, and a local resident sued the City of Edmonton over its failure to comply with the Animal Protection Act of Alberta. The lawsuit argued that the roadside zoo’s failure to provide proper care caused Lucy distress and that her health would continue to decline unless she were moved to an accredited sanctuary. The court dismissed the case on standing grounds, meaning it never ruled on whether Lucy’s care was appropriate—but advocates have continued to push the City to send her to a reputable sanctuary even though Lucy was denied her day in court.
The Edmonton Valley Zoo Needs to Act Now to Save Lucy
Lucy’s condition has only gotten worse—and the Edmonton Valley Zoo apparently claims that she can no longer be safely transferred because of her declining health. If this is true, it’s because the facility sat on its hands rather than doing right by Lucy.
Still, PETA and many experts agree that Lucy can—and should—be moved to an accredited sanctuary, where she could spend her golden years enjoying a life free of exploitation. A true sanctuary could provide the long-suffering elephant with autonomy, an appropriate climate, acres of grasslands and forests to explore, and the opportunity to socialize with other Asian elephants.
Lucy: The Stolen Lives of Elephants airs on CBC’s Documentary Channel on April 6 at 9 pm ET and starts streaming on CBC’s Gem on April 11. Watch the trailer now:
What YOU Can Do to Help Exploited Elephants
All over the world, elephants like Lucy are suffering in circuses, tourist attractions, and roadside zoos—and they need your help. These sensitive, emotional animals do not want to be exploited and abused for any reason. Click the button below to take several rapid actions for elephants:
