On 28-Nov-2012, one day after Toronto City Council voted 32-8 to send the three Toronto Zoo elephants to the PAWS facility in California, Councillor Lindsay Luby announced her continuing support of the Toronto Zoo elephants. The following excerpt appeared in the Globe and Mail (28-Nov-2012):
A Toronto city councillor is vowing to do everything she can to stop the transfer of three aging African elephants from the Toronto Zoo to a California sanctuary, fearing their safety could be jeopardized and the zoo could lose standing with a national organization.
“It’s never over till it’s over,” councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby told The Globe and Mail Wednesday. “My heart and soul is in this and I believe in doing the right thing for our animals.”
... The vote came after both the CEO of the Toronto Zoo, John Tracogna, and its top veterinarian presented evidence to council that sending the elephants to the sanctuary would put them at risk of being exposed to tuberculosis.
... On Wednesday, Ms. Lindsay Luby was critical of many of her fellow councillors. “I’m not an expert, nor is anyone on council,” she said. “When you don’t know the details, it’s easy to make a decision.”
At the Toronto City Council meeting on 27-Nov-2012, Toronto Zoo's CEO John Tracogna and senior veterinarian Dr. Graham Crawshaw had stated their concerns, including tuberculosis (TB) and bio-security issues at PAWS.
The Toronto Zoo's Due Diligence Review report indicated that the PAWS facility was not suitable for the three Toronto Zoo elephants and that the TNEC facility in Florida should be considered.
Despite the professional advice of the Toronto Zoo professionals, Toronto City Council decided 32-8 to send the three Toronto Zoo elephants to the PAWS facility.
