City Council Censoring Ads for Lucy (August 17, 2009)

Post date: Aug 26, 2010 5:38:49 PM

Zoocheck Canada

For Immediate Release

August 17, 2009

Ads commissioned by Zoocheck Canada as a way of reaching out to Edmontonians to consider the impacts of keeping a lone elephant in a cold climate zoo have been censored by the City of Edmonton.   On the very day the ads were to be put up a message was received that the City of Edmonton has stepped in to stop the ads from being published in the Edmonton transit system.   

“I suppose I should not be surprised that the City of Edmonton is going to such lengths to try to censor the messaging about Lucy”  said Julie Woodyer, Campaigns Director for Zoocheck Canada “On one hand they don’t want to take any responsibility to bring in specialist elephant veterinarians to examine Lucy saying that these decisions are best left to their staff at the zoo and yet they are willing to step in and stop advertising on the Edmonton Transit system.  It begs the question about what they may have to hide.”

Keeping a lone elephant in the province of Alberta is illegal under the Alberta Zoo Regulations.  The zoo (which is under the legal authority of the City of Edmonton) has gotten around the law by claims that it is “too risky” to move Lucy.  Meanwhile, 3 separate offers to bring in medical experts that specialize in elephant care to verify the claims of Lucy’s risk in being moved have been denied. 

The most recent request came in a letter from Bob Barker to the Edmonton City Councillors offering to bring in specialized elephant veterinarians when he visits on September 17th.  At this point the Council has not responded to the offer.

“This attempt by the City of Edmonton to censor the advertising campaign is only a temporary glitch.  We will have the ads up in other locations very soon and our billboard is going up today which lets Edmontonians know that their tax dollars are paying for Lucy to be kept in the cold Edmonton climate isolated from other elephants.”  Woodyer continued

To find out more about the Lucy campaign, visit www.SaveLucy.ca

Click here to view and download the ads

For information contact:                     

Julie Woodyer

Zoocheck Canada                                                      

Office:  1-888-801-3222  (toll free)

Cell #:    416-451-5976                   

For interviews with Bob Barker contact:      

Henri Bollanger, Publicist  

818-784-0534