They say an elephant never forgets, and this elephant’s no exception to the rule. When this blind elephant was finally set free from the circus she had the most heartwarming reaction. You won’t believe just how emotional this elephant gets.
20. Slave Life
Ploy Thong, a now rescued elephant, has lived most of her life as a slave. Her life has been a hard one and it has taken a tremendous toll on her emotional well-being. You’ll be shocked by how many years she was in captivity.
19. Many Years
For the past sixteen years, Ploy Thong has served as an attraction piece for tourists. Before she worked as a sideshow tourist attraction she was also a part of the circus. It was a difficult life.
18. Rescued
Luckily, after spending sixteen years working as a slave, Ploy Thong has been rescued. She was recently rescued by the Save Elephant Foundation. Now her days are no longer filled with sadness!
17. Good Days
Ploy Thong now spends a majority of her day making her rounds around the compounds of the elephant sanctuary. Before she was rescued, Ploy Thong’s days were sad and filled with hard labor. Now she can finally relax and enjoy her life.
16. Hard Work
Despite being completely blind, Ploy Thong was still expected to work hard each and every day. It was strenuous for her and she suffered greatly. So what exactly was Ploy Thong expected to do each day?
15. Transportation
Every single day, Ploy Thong was expected to carry tourists around on her back. She would go along the same route each day, using her trunk and use of smell to guide her since she could not see. It was very hard on her.
14. Long Hours
“Ploy Thong is one more elephant that we decided to rescue. Both eyes blind, she transported tourists every day. Every day she was saddled early and carried riders until the sunset,” a staff member of Save Elephant Foundation told Daily Mail.
13. Other Senses
“She used her trunk to sniff the way while the tourist rode on her back. We saw her working while on the journey to rescue Bua Keaw, and began discussions with the owner to set her free,” the Save Elephants Foundation staff said. “Her journey to freedom begins.”
12. First Rescue
Save Elephant Foundation first noticed Ploy Thong when they were in the middle of freeing another elephant named Bua Keaw. When they saw how much Ploy Thong was suffering they knew that they had to negotiate a way for her to be free.
11. Successful
So the Save Elephant Foundation got into talks with Ploy Thong’s owners. They were able to successfully negotiate a rescue plan for her. It was finally time for her to be free!
10. Sanctuary Life
Ploy Thong was then transported to the elephant sanctuary where her life completely changed. No longer would she have to be pressed to work terrible hours against her will. It was exactly the kind of life she deserved for so long.
9. First Interactions
Since Ploy Thong had been used for work all of those years, she had not been in contact with other elephants for years. In fact, her time at the sanctuary would be her first interaction with a herd and it was incredibly heartwarming and emotional.
8. Unsure
However, many of the sanctuary workers were unsure of how the other elephants would react to Ploy Thong. After all, she was a brand new elephant and she was also completely blind. Everyone was feeling cautious about the interaction.
7. Cautious
Since she had never been a part of a herd before, Ploy Thong approached the elephants with caution. In the beginning, she was separated from the herd by a concrete wall. At first, Ploy Thong let out a few low vibrations to acknowledge the group.
6. Walking Over
Then Ploy Thong slowly walked over to the herd and reached out with her trunk. Everyone was on edge waiting to see what reaction she would get from the herd. Then the unexpected happened!
5. The Reaction
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, each elephant held out their trunk to introduce themselves to Ploy Thong. She was able to shake trunks with all of them and get acquainted with her new herd members. That’s when sanctuary workers noticed something else amazing…
4. Joyful
It was at that moment that tears of joy began to stream down Ploy Thong’s face! She was finally accepted and at peace with her surroundings. It was an amazing moment for everyone involved.
3. Intertwined
Throughout the trunk shakes, some of the elephant’s even intertwined their trunks with Ploy Thong. There were so many emotions in the air as the herd accepted their new member.
2. New Life
Finally, Ploy Thong could begin her new life in peace. She was accepted by her new family and the sanctuary workers could finally let her roam with the rest of the elephants.
1. Leisurely Lifestyle
Ploy Thong’s interaction was caught on camera and everyone that’s watched it has gotten teary-eyed. Ploy Thong can finally enjoy her leisurely lifestyle and kick back and relax!