These elephants went from abuse and torture to freedom and joy.

The life of a captive elephant is forced labour, cruel conditions, poor
nutrition, and severe beatings. They are one of the most intelligent and
beautiful animals on the planet. Tragically, they are also among the most
abused of all animals. There is hope for them though, because of an
increase in awareness and the rise of more sanctuaries like this one,
WildlifeSOS in Agra, India. This is Maya. Her story was a sad one. She is
nearly 50 years old and most of her life had been spent as a broken
animal with no hope and no joy. The statistics on these beautiful souls
tell a tragic story. The elephants that are forced to walk on hot pavement
suffer blisters and infections, yet they continue out of fear. They are
managed by cruel handlers with hooks and sticks, reminding them that
lack of submission is met with immediate pain. Some suffer from back
stain and injury due to the heavy loads as tourists climb upon them for
rides and pictures. Every captive elephant in Jaipur, India suffers from a
foot malady of one sort or another. Some elephants are blind. Many
suffer from malnutrition or obesity as they are fed unnatural foods like
cheeseburgers or other fast food. WildlifeSOS has brought Maya to their
peaceful sanctuary where she will live the rest of her days in a much
different environment. Maya could never be released back to the wild.
She will need ongoing care. She has responded well to the gentle touch
of her caregivers and the positive reinforcement that allows treatments
to take place.