28 August 2010

IT IS TIME TO CELEBRATE!
 
BLES supporters, you incredible people have done it again. You have saved Pang Dow — Miss Star is coming home to BLES!
 
What can I say? Once again BLES supporters from all around the world have united and moved mountains for the elephants. This particular elephant has suffered and endured more abuse than any other I have come across. She has known nothing but agony and aggression. But that is all about to change thanks to your kindness and unstoppable drive to save her.
 
Your total and absolute faith in BLES is what has saved Pang Dow. We cannot do any of this without you and the numerous ways you support us. I want to shout from the roof tops over and over again ‘THANK YOU!!!’.
 
I voiced Pang Dow’s story exactly one week ago. In the seven days that followed, I lost power and was without electricity for four days. In my absence, a number of people came together and drove the campaign, but one person in particular refused to let anything get in the way of Pang Dow’s safety. Evelyn Connor, my mum, went above and beyond the call of duty and I wouldn’t be sharing this outstanding news if it wasn’t for my mum’s dedication and pure love. Thank you mum.
 
There are many people who did everything they could to ensure Pang Dow was not sold into the hands of the business man, who intended to use her for forced breeding. You know who you are and I hope you know how endlessly thankful I am for your help. Your efforts are not unnoticed.
 
Once the funds have arrived in our Thai account, we will be off to save the life of Pang Dow. She will join our 12 other elephants and will never have to live another day in fear. She will learn how to be an elephant again and will come to realize that not all humans are bad. We will love her and show her she is safe.
 
Be proud. You have done something amazing today.
 
Katherine xx

21 August 2010

Faithful friends,

Let me introduce you to Pang Dow (Miss Star)….

This young elephant has already endured years of relentless abuse. The multitude of scars covering her body reveal only a whisper of the horror she has suffered.

As a baby, Pang Dow was forced to walk the city streets of Thailand, reduced to begging for a living. Once she got ‘too big’ for life on the streets, her heartless owners put her to work in a busy tourist camp where she was made to carry tourists around in a heavy chair that was strapped to her back for hours on end everyday. Recently, tourists have been refusing to ride Pang Dow. Furious, her owners withdrew her from the camp and condemned her to hauling piles of extremely heavy logs in the forest. This is all heartbreaking, Im sure you will agree. The thing that makes Pang Dow’s story particularly disturbing is the fact she is disabled.

Born with a heavily deformed front leg, Pang Dow has learnt to walk using the outside of her wrist as a foot. Her shoulder is permanently swollen, her back is weak and is at serious risk of breaking if she continues with such demanding physical labour.

There is another sad twist to Pang Dow’s sad story…

There is a man who wants to buy Pang Dow and use her for ‘breeding purposes’. He talked openly about his plans to shackle her front feet together while both her back legs are chained and pulled as far a part as they physically can be. He smiled when he described the bulls he would have repeatedly mount her, against her will. His intent? To make Pang Dow pregnant, snatch the calf and sell it on to camp managers who will pay a lucrative amount for such a treasure. Then, Pang Dow will be shacked, chained down and forced bred again. This forced breeding (akin to rape) cycle will continue until her back breaks or she dies. To be honest, I don’t think her potential owner cares either way.

You have a chance to change Pang Dow’s fate. Her future is lying in your hands — she has done nothing but obey every command shouted at her and submit to every demand made of her. Let’s give her back her freedom and allow her to rest in the arms of BLES.

Pang Dow’s current mahout is violent and drinks heavily. The day BLES went to investigate, he beat Pang Dow incessantly to make her walk faster. He stunk of alcohol and even had the audacity to drink whiskey while he was riding Pang Dow.
For this poor elephant it seems the cruelty is endless. But you and I know that is not true. We are going to come together as we have done in the past and pull this girl out of her hell.

We are going to share her plight with thousands and raise the funds to save her once and for all. We need to raise a total of 500 000 baht to end the nightmare for Pang Dow and bring her home to BLES. I know we can do this.

Please make a donation of any amount TODAY. This is a race against time. Her painful days drag on and on with each minute that passes. Please, keep her in your thoughts and do something to allow Pang Dow to be the shining star she wants to be.

No elephant should have to work to fuel man’s greed… SAVE PANG DOW TODAY!

Donations should be made directly through our website and not via any other group/organization claiming they are in affiliation with BLES.

Heartfelt thanks for your unconditional support and unshakable faith in BLES,

Katherine