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

5 August 2010

Wassana, our newest rescue has been with us a week now and what a joyous week it has been. I feel like Wassana has sprinkled happy dust all over BLES! The elephants and people have been noticeably happier and there is no doubt in my mind it is all down to this very special elephant.
 
In all my years of rescuing elephants, I have never seen such a transformation. (I’m sure I said something similar about Mee Chok when he first arrived too!) The difference between the two of them is that Wassana has endured a lifetime of abuse — 40 years of being a slave to man. You would assume that it would take an adult elephant like Wassana weeks, possibly months, if not years, to recover from her hurtful past. Watching Wassana walk down to the pond and spray herself down on her very first day, will forever be etched into my heart. She was rejoicing and to prove it, she began to sing.

I have nick named Wassana ‘Joy’ as she simply is. Her songs of happiness have now become a daily event and the entire Sanctuary comes to a standstill to listen to Wassana’s tuneful squeaks. Sometimes, Pang Tong will pierce the air with a boisterous trumpet and Lom will let out a long and loud roar. Tong Yui and Bong Beng bask in the sun at Wassana’s feet, bobbing up and down in the pond. I have to be honest — it is virtually impossible to get any work done with this musical display going on! Yesterday, Wassana, Tong Yui and Bong Beng were in the pond for three hours!
 
Mee Chok is a happy as can be and is learning new skills from big sister Lom everyday. He seems to be rather nervous of the water and doesn’t like it when Pang Tong submerges herself under water. I have decided to create a paddling pool for Mee Chok. He will be able to lie down and cover himself in water and mud and will have no cause for concern. It is obvious Mee Chok has never been allowed in a big body of water. The day we went to pick him up, I watched a mahout give Mee Chok a quick hose down. Mee Chok just stood there motionless. He had no desire to play. Thanks to Lom, Mee Chok is learning how to play. Lom sometimes forgets that he is less than two years old and can get a bit rough with him, but a gentle rumble from Pang Tong is all Lom needs to calm her down.
 
I have wonderful news regarding Pang Noi…
Yesterday morning I watched as Pang Suai had her morning swim. Pang Noi come down the hill and stood at the edge of the road watching Pang Suai. Pang Noi then walked straight towards the pond and dived into the water to join her old friend! The two of them rolled in the water for a while and then Somai decided to take a morning dip too! I watched through tears as the three of them calmly moved around the pond. This might not sound like a lot, but for Pang Noi to make this gesture, to choose to be that close to Pang Suai is a big step forward for our girl. Since Star’s death, she has physically pushed away every elephant that has tried to reach out to her. Even Pang Suai, who she had trusted so implicitly to watch over Star, couldn’t comfort her friend.

Pang Noi has also been making an effort to be near to Pang Tong, Lom, and Mee Chok. Pang Tong is being very protective of her new baby and seems reluctant to let Pang Noi close, but again, this is a huge positive move for Pang Noi.

Even her volatile relationship with Boon Mee seems to have reached an understanding. The two of them have been going off, leaving the others, to enjoy the peace of the forest. 

My heart aches for Pang Noi, yet I am incredibly proud of her. She is strong and will deal with her the loss of her beloved Star in her own way and time.
 
The rain hasn’t stopped falling and as a result the forest is lush and full of fresh fodder for the elephants. They are happy and everyone here can feel it. Can you?
 
Thank you for giving our elephants the life they deserve. Our elephants have the best care and I can proudly say they are the happiest elephants in Thailand. I am endlessly grateful to you all who support us. You keep BLES alive.
 
Trumpets from the elephants, Squeaks from Wassana and as always, love and thanks from me.
 
Katherine