Billie's Last Chain

This elephant sanctuary is in a rural area southwest of Nashville. It is privately operated. They have a couple dozen retired circus and small zoo elephants, some of whom suffered clear abuse and neglect in captivity. They are trying to acquire more facilities and provide refuge for more elephants.
This is why I would never give my money to any circus.

When Billie arrived at the Sanctuary in 2006, she still had an ankle chain leftover from her circus life. Despite early and repeated efforts over the past 5 years -- Billie simply did not trust anyone to get close enough to remove her chain...until now! After many weeks of newly introduced training techniques, Billie presented her foot and voluntarily allowed us to remove the chain off her front left leg. These are video highlights from this milestone event!

Awesome. I'm glad that they could finally get that off; you know it had to hurt.

It makes you wonder what happened to the poor animal that she wouldn't let people get near her for so long. In any case, it's good to hear something good happening in the world, even something small.

What a beautiful moment! In my
early years I did not know the animals
in a circus were abused, after finding
out I no longer go to the circus or support
them in any way.

Billie is free!

thanks

reply to post by AnIntellectualRedneck


You see how she picked up the chain and just held for a wile.
Very heart warming, I'm glad there are good people out there willing to do the right thing.

Amazing!

Not too hard to understand why many people trust animals more than humans. Just because we are at the top of the food chain shouldn't mean that we look at wild animals as property.

A happy ending for at least one of the victims of abuse.

Thanks!

This is definitely a heart warming thread. It's sad the amount of abuse Circus animals have endured. Specially through the 19th and 20'th centuries. Thanks to more modern training and communication techniques have the lives of performance animals become less Barbaric and savage.

Sadly even today their is much misunderstanding in those who are animal handlers and trainers. I used to do this little show with a dear friend of mine who passed away 15 years ago from old age. Foxy one of my performance mules, she was definitely once in a lifetime. The time we spent together i cherish and was priceless.

I being one of those who put his trust into animals rather than fellow mankind.

reply to post by Pegasus2000

Foxy one of my performance mules, she was definitely once in a lifetime. The time we spent together i cherish and was priceless.

Uhm, Whats a performance mule?
Anyway thanks for posting,I think