Lucy the elephant has lived at Edmonton's Valley Zoo for more than 30 years. (CBC)About a dozen protesters waved signs outside Edmonton's Valley Zoo on Sunday, urging officials to move Lucy the elephant to a warm-weather sanctuary.

Holding up signs that read, "Lucy Has Nothing to Celebrate" and "Let Lucy Celebrate Retirement," members of Zoocheck, Voice for Animals and PETA demonstrated outside the zoo.

The animal rights groups claim the 35-year-old elephant lives in physical pain and suffers from spending long winters "cooped up indoors in a tiny stall with no companionship."

In a written release, the groups said Edmonton's cold-weather climate is detrimental to Lucy's health and urged officials to move the elephant to a warm-weather sanctuary.

Protesters argue Lucy is suffering at the Valley Zoo. (Andrea Huncar/CBC)"Lucy should not have to suffer through one more lonely, miserable winter at the Valley Zoo in Edmonton," PETA director Debbie Leahy said in the release.

"Her confinement at the zoo is slowly killing her, and the only thing worth celebrating would be her retirement to a sanctuary."

PETA and Zoocheck Canada filed an application in February for a lawsuit against the city over Lucy. The lawsuit is awaiting approval from a judge.

The city has said the case should be thrown out, arguing Lucy is well cared for.