Voice for Animals Humane Society

Last updated
Voice for Animals Humane Society
AbbreviationVAHS
TypeAnimal welfare organizations in Canada
Legal statusactive
Purposeadvocate and public voice, educator and network
Headquarters Edmonton, Alberta
Region served
Alberta and Canada
Official language
English
French
Website www.v4a.org

The Voice for Animals Humane Society (V4A) in Edmonton, Alberta, is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting animals, through advocacy and education, from neglect, abuse and exploitation. This volunteer organization helps animals of all kinds through animal rescue, education, lobbying politicians, protests, letter writing and petitions. The president, Tove Reece, has been involved in animal rights' work for over twenty years.

Contents

Campaigns

Lucy and Samantha

Lucy, an Asian elephant, and Samantha, an African elephant, live at the Edmonton Valley Zoo. Lucy suffers from arthritis and chronic foot infections. Samantha severed her trunk on a gate latch and lost 20 cm (7.9 in) of it. The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, agreed to take them both in 2006, and a letter writing campaign and petition were ongoing. [1]

In 2007, Samantha was relocated to a breeding program at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. [2]

According to the Edmonton Valley Zoo in 2023, a "respiratory condition for which treatment is ongoing" means that moving Lucy to a new location would be too stressful and "life-threatening." However, they state that the long-term goal of the zoo is to not have elephants. [3] [4] The V4A states on their website that they are seeking an independent's expert review of Lucy's health, and say that even if she is unable to be moved her quality of life can still be improved. [5]

Additionally, Zoocheck Canada launched a Kids Save Lucy campaign in June 2009 to help Lucy. [6] [7]

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References

  1. "A Soul Voice ... for animals" (PDF). Fall 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 3, 2007. Retrieved November 21, 2006.
  2. "Elephant leaves Edmonton zoo for breeding program". CBC News. September 26, 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  3. "The Evolving Collection". Edmonton Valley Zoo. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  4. Bergot, Nicole (March 21, 2023). "'Zoo staff is extraordinary:' Lucy the elephant at 47 not fit for relocation from Edmonton, concludes review". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  5. "Lucy". Voice For Animals. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  6. "Zoocheck Canada".
  7. Elephant News - SaveLucy.ca