The legal saga over the fate of Lucy the Elephant may be coming to an end.
Animal rights group Zoocheck and PETA say they will drop their case if the City of Edmonton can prove Lucy is too sick to be moved to California. They say the City and Edmonton's Valley Zoo have until Dec. 14 to come up with the proof.
Initially, the groups issued an ultimatum on Oct. 20, saying city councillors had 30 days to address the situation before they would seek legal action. They say the city is breaching Alberta's Animal Protection Act by allowing Lucy to live "in distress".
The city says any move would be too traumatic for Lucy.
Just last week, the zoo announced they were putting Lucy on a diet and exercise regimen to help improve her condition. They are also adding more sand and rubber mats to make it easier for the pachyderm to walk around the sanctuary.
An elephant specialist from California says the zoo needs to expand Lucy's indoor space so she can exercise more in the winter.
The weight-loss program is aimed at helping Lucy shed 450 kilograms.
