Lady Lucky

Lady Lucky loves her life and has a lot of energy!

Lucky’s story is one that will take you on an emotional ride. So, grab those tissues and get ready!

Lucky is thought to be in her late thirties. She is one of the most talked about elephants at BLES - not because her life was as her name suggests, but because it was exactly the opposite.

Lucky had spent most of her life working in tourist camps down in southern Thailand. She stood, chained up by both front feet, with a heavy, metal bench balanced on her spine, held in place by ropes that were inhumanely looped around her neck and tail.
When it was high season, Lucky would be forced to walk with the added weight of several tourists, plus the bench - a combined weight of 200 - 300kg, for hours on end. When it was low season, she stood, shackled on a hot, concrete floor.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Thailand, the camp where Lucky was enslaved was forced to close down.

This was when Lucky’s life took a tragic turn.

Lucky was used for forced breeding. This is when the female is tied down by all four legs, and a bull is forced to mount her. It is just as traumatic and confusing for the bull as it is for the female, and often the bulls will lash out and brutally attack the females out of desperation.
This is what happened to Lucky.

Lucky was violently attacked and left with life-threatening injuries. She did not receive medical aid, as she was so badly hurt that it was impossible to drive her to the hospital for treatment.

This harrowing ordeal left Lucky with a dislocated hip, broken leg, deep lacerations, broken toenails, and ripped ears. The only good thing was that she didn’t conceive.

For working elephants in Thailand, a disability usually means one thing - they are ‘useless’.

Lucky, against the odds, despite her physical pain and unbearable suffering, learned to adapt. She didn’t succumb to her injuries; instead, she taught herself how to walk again. Lucky miraculously recovered. She showed true resilience and a strong will to survive.

Lucky’s owner, having no alternative way to financially support his family, tried to sell her. But nobody wanted Lucky. With no other choice, the owner started using Lucky for logging work.
This is exhausting and dangerous work for elephants. They are forced to drag heavy piles of logs through the mountains and navigate treacherous terrains.

Lucky, despite being permanently crippled, obeyed. She was enslaved. Her life consisted of chains, harnesses, ropes, hooks, pain… She must have been in agony, but still, she persevered and refused to give up.

When BLES Founder Katherine was contacted about Lucky, she was shocked to her core and couldn’t stop crying. Katherine immediately reached out to The Elephant Initiative, who instantly agreed to help raise the funds needed to save Lucky.

Katherine launched the fundraiser for Lucky on her birthday and begged for help. She made it clear that she didn’t want gifts, cake, a party, or any kind of fuss. Katherine didn’t want to receive - she wanted to give - to save Lucky and bring her to BLES.

BLES supporters responded to this call for action with urgency and determination. The funds to save Lucky were successfully raised in just over five hours - record-breaking time!

US-based 501 (c) (3) FACE - Free All Captive Elephants, generously donated and doubled donations up to $2,500.

It was unbelievable to watch this ripple of kindness spiral into a storm of compassion. People, from all around the world, gave what they could and shared Lucky’s plight on every platform. Her story inspired and united. A total of 801 individuals played a proactive part in liberating Lucky!

The BLES Team was nervous about transporting Lucky. The owner told us she hadn’t been on a truck for ten years and had a history of being difficult.

However, when Lucky saw our truck (The Green Machine) parked up, she didn’t react. Our mahouts gave her some food and allowed her to relax before guiding her onto the truck. Lucky walked straight onto The Green Machine without hesitation or protest. She stood perfectly still as the mahouts adjusted the support frame and added extra padding to protect her hip. It was almost as if she understood we were there to help her.

The drive with Lucky was long, but uneventful. Lucky enjoyed treats throughout her journey and even fell into a deep sleep whilst in transit!

We arrived home with Lucky in the early hours of the 18th April 2026. She was thrilled to be welcomed with a fruit feast and devoured it!

Since her rescue, Lucky has found a new lease on life! She loves her freedom and spends her days exploring every inch of her new forest home. She has also formed a deep connection with her lovely mahout, Boo Loy.

It is as if she has been reborn. Lucky’s strength has led her to a place where she is finally safe. She is no longer in survival mode. Now, she is in REVIVAL mode! She is a hero. She is a beacon of hope, and she is, at long last, lucky.