A very heartwarming video from Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand as they welcome the newest arrival to their elephant sanctuary! The sanctuary, called Thai Elephant Refuge, recently took in a precious rescued elephant to their herd. This darling new elephant is named Boon Dee, and she is half blind from years of mistreatment and abuse in the tourism industry. Boon Dee has spent most of her life giving rides to hoards of tourists at a trekking camp in Pattaya, Thailand.
This recent rescue was made possible by the generous donation from a longtime sanctuary supporter who was visiting Thai Elephant Refuge from Australia. The compassionate supporter, Joan Pearson, was celebrating her birthday, and wanted to spend it in her favorite place in the world surrounded by the animals she loves. Her only wish for a present was to be able to rescue another elephant. When Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand learned that there was an elephant in need of rescue in Pattaya, the team — including Joan — headed out to investigate.
What they found at the trekking camp was a heartbreaking situation. Having arrived at the camp four years ago, Boon Dee was in a terrible state. She was emaciated and covered in abscesses, obvious marks of the abuse and neglect she had suffered. WFFT knew it would take the healing power of a sanctuary to return the elephant to full health. After completing all of the necessary paperwork, Boon Dee was finally legally allowed to make the long journey to the WFFT rescue center.
Boon Dee finally safe at the Wildlife Friends Foundation Elephant Refuge
Now that sweet Boon Dee is finally safe and sound she can look forward to a life free from pain; never again will this gentle giant be chained or beaten. Also most importantly: never again will she have to carry a saddle on her back, or be forced to give rides to the endless busloads of tourists who visit the camp where she was forced to work.
After arriving at the sanctuary Boon Dee was able to stretch her legs after the long journey. She took a stroll around the rescue center and took a look at the wonderland that will be her new home.
Everyone watched in amazement as Boon Dee made a beeline for the first elephant enclosure and greeted its inhabitant, Gan Da. The WFFT staff knew that these two elephants had previously been friends when they worked together in a camp in Thailand many years ago, and everyone wondered if they would recognize each other. These two darling elephants recognized each other immediately and had a very sweet reunion! Thanks to the determination of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, Boon Dee can make many other life-long friends at the Thai Elephant Refuge!
What’s New…
This is my story :
I was 5 years young, when as a surprise my goodhearted grandmother took my little brother and me to the famous Barnum circus which had come to the city. Having never been to a circus to watch the performances of acrobats, clowns and animals we anticipated the afternoon presentation month ahead. Grandmother had saved up the money from her meager SS benefit to pay for the tickets. The circus had finally arrived, and completed the set up the huge tent. We went on a Saturday to see the big show. After we had found our seats on one of the long benches, the show began shortly thereafter.
First the circus director’s welcome and announcement, then a colorful music band marching around the circle, and oh, the clowns with their funny tricks, then those muscle men who spewed fire from their mouth, followed by lovely entertainers of men and women showing off their acrobatic stunts on galloping horses. We sat there watching and applauding. Then came the intermission, during which time iron cages were set up, while clowns kept every one busy with magic performances.
When my brother asked my grandma why the people were putting up all those cages, she explained to him that wild tigers and lions were shortly to come out with the beast master who had taught them all kinds of tricks and that we needed to be protected from the wild animals. First appeared the beast master, a fierce and strong man, dressed in black pants and a bright colored sleeveless vest, holding two long whips in his hands. Then one by one tigers entered through a narrow caged tunnel entering the arena to be guided to a post by the beast master, swinging his whip thorough the air which made loud snapping noises, keeping each growling tiger in its place.
It was then, that I felt a sadness coming over me from within. I did not like what I saw. I did not like the man using the whip. I wanted my grandma to tell him to stop using the whip. It was then when two lions, one by one were let into the caged arena joining the tigers opposite. Within a few minutes a tiger and a lion were going at each other, and the beast master doing his best to separate them. Another man quickly entered the arena with a whip and a long metal rod, assisting the beast master trying to take control over the situation. It was then when the lion turned toward the beast master trying to get at him. Clowns appeared out of nowhere with a water hose, aiming the stream at the lion and the tiger who had come down from his pod growling at another tiger next to it. My heart was pounding so much, and I began to cry. Over a loudspeaker all were told to keep calm and remain on their seats. While the whips were swung above the big cats, to get them back on their pods and the beast masters trying to regain order, the cats, one by one were coxed away and chased back through the cage tunnel, and the exit trap door shut. Quickly, music began to play, funny clowns appeared, and costumed women threw flowers and confetti to the public in the seats.
The cages were quickly dismantled, and fresh sawdust was sprinkled over the ground. Trumpets signaled the arrival of the great giants, the magnificent elephants. Each elephant was accompanied by a person, dressed in bright costume with gigantic plumed accessories. Large pods were placed in different areas of the arena, were some of elephants were directed towards to. There, under the guidance of the elephant keeper they had to sit with their rear on the pods, and lift their front legs high up in the air, their trunks high elevated and then made to trumped in the air. I just sat there, with a growing sadness taking over me. My grandma noticed and tried to cheer me up, but I just couldn’t enjoy watching and cheering. I intuitively felt that something was not right. When they brought out the bears I just sat there feeling sorrow for these fury beasts. This feeling did not change with the chimpanzee, nor the big exotic colorful Ara parrots. Somehow I knew, these amazing animals did not belong in the circus. When the show had ended, we proceeded with all the others outside. We found a little bench were we sat down. Grandma took her handkerchief wiping my teary eyes and face, listening to me, and trying to make me feel better. She said….” So little, but already having such a big, good heart with such compassion”…. She then bought some roasted almonds, which we ate on our way home while talking about how to do good things in our life.
Since then, I never attended a circus performance, and in later years stayed away from every Zoo. So did my brother. My late Father, an animal lover and protector, once said….” As long as we mistreat animals, domesticated and wild, people continue to mistreat each other, and as long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be human battle fields”…… and….” What if there is a war, and nobody shows up”…..
Let’s work together to make this planet the place were we can dwell, again, as intended to be in the first place.
God Bless all of you who have the heart and the compassion to bring that change. Thank you!
So happy for Boon Dee. I hope she has the life she deserves now
I love this story. Very happy for her. Thanks to all the ppl who helped her.
That is wonderful! It proves that elephants are large brained, unlike those that would abuse them who have none at all. They should be the ones carrying tourists on their backs!
great to see – thank heavens for people like Joan and the rescue teams. Keep up your passion and dedication xx
Amazing to watch.
This video is very sweet, but I still worry about all the other elephants left behind at the trekking camp. I know that the animal rescue groups have to do things legally and they can’t just show up and confiscate every animal, I wish that they could. Hopefully one day they can come back for all the others.
Thank you, Joan, for sponsoring Boon Dee’s rescue. Well done to all at the sanctuary who will look after her. Would that all these lovely elephants could be rescued like this!!!!
My sentiments exactly.
C’est super de sauvegarder des espèces en voie d’extinction merci à tous ceux qui y contribuent
Merci avoir mi cette éléphant au sanctuaire il faut les mètre tous surtout seux des cirques
I love these uplifting videos! Thank you!
I’m so happy for her.. I hope she lives many more years in this beautiful place. Thank you everyone who made this possible.
Thanks to everyone who helped save this precious and innocent soul.Let’s all make a donation to save many many more lives!!! Every donation no matter how small helps so…..please help.
BEST WISHES FOR A WONDERFUL LIFE BOON DEE BECAUSE YOU SURE DESERVE IT PRETTY BABY!
Thank you Joan for rescuing this elephant..Well deserved freedom for Boon Dee. Fabulous news and wonderful video. Thanks to everyone who helped bring this darling elephant to the sanctuary. You are all amazing..
I was literally in tears when I watched this. Thank you Joan Pearson and all who helped rescue this beautiful girl. You are truly inspirational. I know there are good, caring people in this world but sometimes it’s so hard to see because there is so much abuse and torture. I love all animals and when I see them suffer it’s just unbearable. Thank God for angels like you.
I was in tears too! Happy tears by the end! It’s so nice to know that there is still some good left in this world, and people out there still trying to do the right thing!
THANK YOU SO MUCH for rescuing this sweetie – it’s time to STOP the abuse and exploitation of these magnificent animals — it’s time for ALL elephants either to return to their natural habitats — only if it is deemed wise to do so — OR, be transferred to Elephant Sanctuaries — AGAIN, thank you to the fabulous Rescuers, to the wonderful Donors, to Joan Pearson, for making it possible for these animals to return to a state of normalcy — to be happy, comfy and healthy.
In how many languages is WHAT THE F.CK is wrong with these scumbags who could EVER abuse these animals? Thailand is another S.ITHOLE 3rd world country and is a disgrace to the world!
Thank you to all concerned.
LONG LIVE THIS BEAUTIFUL ELEPHANT…HOPEFULLY TO LIVE WITH OUT FEAR IN A SANCTUARY. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO & FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED TO RESCUE THIS ELEPHANT & OTHER ANIMALS. THERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HEAVEN FOR YOU ALL.
Amazing film of that rescued elephant. Please pass on my heartfelt congratulations to those people who organised that. In the works of animal horrors occasionally there is a little glimmer of light.
So glad that Boon Dee is free at last. But such a pity that an elephant has to be in such bad physical shape before its owners agree to surrender it to a sanctuary. And are her former owners at the trekking camp at Pattaya now going to simply get a replacement young elephant to beat into submission to replace Boon Dee?
And how can we free all of the 3000 other slave-elephants in Thailand? Surely for a start, tourists from all over the world must be educated to realise that elephant rides are just plain elephant abuse. Only once tourists stop riding on elephants, will (some of) these elephants be freed.
I know, I also worry about all the other elephants still suffering in the tourism industry, substandard zoos, etc. And I agree with you, it’s time for people to stop patronizing these awful places and then maybe the abuse will stop.
you are absolutely right about that.I no longer go to aquariums,zoos,circuses,race tracks ,or ride horses.all those thing exploit animals.I had awaken to all the animal abuse.There is so much of it.Lets hope humans evolve to become better for the animals.
Thank you to this kind woman for making this possible.
Others should be able to do the same for animals.
GOD BLESS YOU !!!
I AM SO HAPPY FOR BOON DEE. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE!
NEVER forget.
These are ALL God’s creation. Only in a different form!
Thank you for helping Boon Dee. She will be happy in that wonderful new home, free of pain and mean humans. I love you, Boon Dee.
GOD bless every single person who helped make this possible for Boon Dee. May she flourish in her new found freedoms, new and old friends and proper medical care & nutrition. This is a miracle!
Bless her heart
She worked for it she deserves it. Thanks to all that where involved.
To anyone who is wondering at the beginning of this video the elephant is not “dancing” while at the trekking camp. She is chained-up and highly stressed and fidgeting. It is only after she is finally at the sanctuary and they remove her chains that she actually calms down. So glad she can finally live in peace. Also, I watched the video until the very end and they do show her reuniting with one of her former elephant friends. Thank you to the rescuers.
I am so happy for Boon Dee that she has found freedom at last. How wonderful that she has a friend at her sanctuary as well. I hope that they have many years to enjoy one another’s company and to make new friends. It is sad to see the many other elephants that cannot have their freedom. People are very cruel toward animals and it breaks my heart. Thank you for sharing this video.
WONDERFUL TO SEE THIS LOVELY ELEPHANT FREE BUT ALSO SAD TO SEE ALL THE OTHERS WHO WILL STILL BE TREATED SO BADLY
. IF EVERYONE WHO VISITED THAILAND REFUSED TO GO ON ELEPHANT RIDES THEU WOULD BEGIN TO SEE HOW THE REST OF THE WORLD FELT AND HOPEFULLY FIND OTHER WAYS TO ENTERTAIN TOURISTS .
ONLY THEN WILL THE WORLD BECOME A BETTER PLACE FOR OUR FELLOW CREATURES
I loved to see the freedom of the elephant transpire. If educated citizens stopped riding them that would end. For making money. Although i read visiting and seeing elephants in their native habitat is being started.
Time for worldwide change.
Namaste
What a beautiful majestic animal, even after all the neglect and abuse. So happy to see this. It’s a shame how animals are used for human entertainment and contained like this. It’s not right.