Lucy the Elephant in Edmonton

I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta.  The winters are very cold.  Temperatures get below freezing for weeks on end, and there is snow to contend with.  It sucks, but it must suck even more for Lucy, who is an Asian Elephant. 

Lucy had been orphaned in 1975 and was purchased in 1977 when she was just two years old and brought to the Edmonton Valley Zoo, which was known as Storyland Valley Zoo back in its early days.

Lucy has lived alone and the zoo claims she is not a social elephant and prefers to be alone rather than with other elephants.   I am not sure how they would determine that as she really has not been tested with other elephants.

 I have visited the zoo a few times and mostly would observe Lucy standing in her rather small and boring enclosure, however on my last visit we saw her walking around.  This was the first time I have ever seen this but apparently she goes for daily walks.  The handlers told me that they more or less allowed her to go on her own.  They did say that in the winter they have a spot where they can stop so she can take a break and warm up but did not say she hated the cold.  Her large size would help her stay warm, but I am not sure if they put a blanket on her back in the winter or not.

The Calgary zoo, which is further south in Alberta, decided to send their elephants to warmer climates and many are calling for Edmonton to do the same.

Personally I do not know what to think.  I am not an expert on judging if an elephant is happy or not.  I cannot tell if she is happy as an only elephant or not.  I do not know if she likes her daily walks, even in the winter. 

I do know that the staff at the Edmonton Valley Zoo do their best to care for Lucy.  She has arthritis, possibly related to a deformity she was born with, and has some breathing problems when stressed.  In fact this problem is one of the reasons why some people insist she should not be moved, they say the stress will be too hard on her.

As such, while there are many petitions to move Lucy to a warmer climate I am not really sure what is best for her.

I will say, however, that this is a fine example of why we need to stop taking animals from their natural homes and bringing them to other places just for our entertainment.

Other reading on Lucy

Alberta is Banning Certain Frogs as Pets

Does government always know what they are doing?  In the case of a recent ban that is to begin April 30, 2015, pet owners tend to disagree with the government's decision. 

The Alberta government decided to ban the ownership of all all poison dart frogs of the family Dendrobatidae and Family Aromobatidae.  Although the name suggests these frogs are poisonous, pet owners have known for years that the captive frogs are not toxic.  Although some species are toxic in the wild, only a few produce enough toxin to be a danger, and they lose their toxins when kept as pets (likely due to the different diet which would not include toxic insects).

The government seems to think these dart frogs are dangerous to their owners, but owners of such species do not handle their pets.  Mostly the frogs are kept in vivariums in a way not much different than how aquarium enthusiasts keep pet fish; they are for display only, not cuddling. 

There is no risk of these frogs being released into the wild.  Firstly they are too expensive for an owner to consider releasing unwanted "pets" and secondly they would not survive if they were released. 

One of the biggest concerns for pet owners is that there are no "grandfather" clauses, meaning that current owners are being told to get rid of their pets prior to April 30, 2015. 

photo source

What are current dart frog owners supposed to do with their frogs?

Current owners of poison dart frogs are being told to "get rid of them"; either to take them out of province, or to sell/give them to a licensed facility, such as a zoo.  This does not make current frog owners happy as many have hundreds of dollars invested in their pets.

A petition?

Anyone who is against this law should sign this petition.  They can also make phone calls to law makers in their area.

What next?

One of the reasons why even non-dart frog owners should get involved is due to concerns about "What is next?"  Granted there are some good reasons why some exotic pets, such as rats, have been made illegal, the worry is to what end will it go, what animal will be banned next.  Had some sort of grandfathering clause been included I am certain people would not be so irate, and at the very least this needs to be amended. 

Innisfail Odd and Unusual Animal and Bird Auction

If you are in Alberta and looking for an odd or unusual exotic pet, the Innisfail Odd and Unusual Animal and Bird Auction is not to be missed.  This is a three day event that happens twice a year, Easter weekend, and Thanksgiving weekend.

As seen at the Innisfail Auction

The Easter sale will begin on Good Friday, with goats and sheep selling in the day.  Later in the evening Aniques, Collectables, and most caged pets will sell (sometimes including some caged birds), this is often hedgehogs, sugar gliders, guinea pigs, and a few reptiles, but can be animals such as wallabies.  Many exotic pets sell at this time - different every auction!

On Saturday, the other birds will sell, these being exotic chickens, pheasants, peafowl, emus, and who-knows-what!  Rabbits will also sell on Saturday.  Many caged birds also sell on Saturday.

On Easter Sunday, the miniature horses, exotic cattle, llamas, and other large mammals (bison, elk) will sell. 

The Thanksgiving weekend sales run the same way, Friday to Sunday.

Pheasant we purchased at the Innisfail auction.

Anything is possible - it all depends what sellers bring.  I have attended many of these sales, we have seen many exotic pets and animals at this sale, every thing from tiny baby snakes, to a halter trained bison.  We  have seen rare breeds of livestock, and a few regular ones!

Zebu seen at the Innisfail Auction

Some exotic pets that are auctioned off require special permits to own, (such as migratory birds, or primates) so make sure you bring your permits if you plan on buying certain exotics.  Come early to have a look around, get your bidder number, and find a seat.  If you are selling - come even earlier!

Innisfail is just south of Red Deer, Alberta, on highway 2, about an hour north of Calgary.  The auction market is just off the highway at the south end of town. 

To see Other Sales Dates - click here.

Further Reading

Buying and Selling at Exotic Animal Auctions
Starting a Petting Zoo
How to get a Better Price for your Horse, when Selling at Auction

Why Are Exotic Pets Banned in Some Areas

One struggle prospective exotic pet owners face is that the animal they may wish to keep is banned from where they live.

There are many reasons for this, depending on the animal, and the area, and the law makers.

When my husband asked why Fennec Foxes could not be kept as pets here in Alberta, he was told by somebody at the Fish and Wildlife department that it had something to do with a stripper having a tiger at a bar and people petitioned for a blanket type law against all exotic pets.  Over time a few exotic pets (such as wallabies) have been allowed, and people have been able to apply for zoo permits to own other certain exotic pets.  This may, or may not, be the real story, but this is what we were told by somebody who should know.

©Brenda Nelson

It is easy to understand why some areas would not allow dangerous exotic pets, but what about the seemingly harmless exotic pets, ferrets, hedgehogs, chickens?

Many exotic pets are not allowed due to the risk of them escaping and destroying native species, or due to the considers of them spreading disease to native species, or the risk they pose to humans.  In most areas keeping animals that are native to the area is not allowed as it is hard to determine if an animal has been legally bred - or illegally snatched from the wild. 

The livestock industry has been held to blame for protesting against allowing city people from keeping pet chickens.  Indeed if people could raise their own eggs, a whole industry would suffer.  This is a pity, since pet hens would have better lives than battery hens, and some chicken breeds make terrific pets!

In some areas it is simply too hard to enforce proper care of certain animals, so it is easier for law makers to ban the animal all together.

The public holds a large role in creating bans for exotic pets.  Public outcry is even held to blame for bans on certain breeds of dogs.

If you are in an area where a certain exotic pet is banned, you will have to apply for a special permit, lobby to have the laws changed, or move.  Keeping a pet where one is not allowed, not only puts you at risk for getting a fine, but the animal may be removed and euthanized immediately according to the laws in your area.

Are you Ready to Own an Exotic Pet?  Click here to find out!
Read about Concerns when Keeping a Pet Illegally.

This does give me the idea for writing something in regards to How to Lobby Against Exotic Pet Bans in Your Area.