Stephen Mandel didn't hold back his thoughts when asked about animal activist comments made by a former game show host on Canada AM Friday morning.
Bob Barker, who is in Toronto in a bid to urge that city's zoo to send their elephants to California, once again took time to speak out against the decision to keep a lone Asian elephant named Lucy at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
"Unfortunately in Edmonton they seem to care nothing about Lucy, her health is deteriorating, she's literally dying there in that zoo, and they won't even consider moving her," he said, arguing the Canadian climate is too harsh for the pachyderm.
It appears Edmonton's mayor isn't taking kindly to the comments.
"He needs a job - maybe he needs a job, I don't know," he said.
"We've gotten thousands of e-mails from people who don't know a) where Edmonton is probably, b) who Lucy is, or c), don't care about Lucy… or about what's actually in Lucy's best interest.
"And that's sad, that's really sad that it's really not about Lucy, it's about them."
In September PETA and Zoocheck said they would appeal a court ruling from a judge who threw out a lawsuit seeking the right to move Lucy from the zoo.
Barker and other animal activists believe the elephant would fare better in a sanctuary down in California, where she can live out her days with other animals.
Zoo officials countered that argument saying given Lucy's health, a move could kill her.
There are currently seven Canadian zoos that house elephants.
With Files from Joel Gotlib
