At the Elephant Hospital Campus, Veer underwent a thorough medical examination, during which the extent of the elephant’s neglect was revealed.

After decades of cruel captivity, Veer the elephant is finally getting time to rest and interact with the world the way he wants.

The 26-year-old bull elephant spent most of his life working for humans who put value in the money that the elephant could make for them, not in the animal’s quality of life.

“In his early years, this bull elephant was reportedly used for begging and in the logging industry. In recent years, he was made to walk long distances along busy roads as a ‘begging’ elephant, often navigating crowded streets collecting money,” Natasha Ashok, a campaign officer at Wildlife SOS, tells PEOPLE about Veer, adding that “Begging elephants move place to place to earn money for their owners any way they can.”

The animals are often taken from the wild as babies, after which they receive little medical care and often face severe neglect and abuse.

As a begging elephant, Veer walked long distances in India on hot concrete in chains every day. The years of endless walking “left him with serious mobility issues and chronic injuries,” according to Ashok.

Wildlife SOS is a conservation nonprofit organization that is working to end the practice of begging elephants in India by 2030. As part of this effort, Wildlife SOS keeps tabs on the known begging elephants across the country, sending team members to check on their welfare and log their locations and health conditions.

“Once we were able to locate Veer and assess his health and living conditions, we began the process of obtaining the necessary permissions to rescue and transport him to our Elephant Hospital Campus for specialised treatment,” Ashok says on how Veer’s journey to freedom began, crediting the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department for helping the nonprofit obtain the necessary permission to rescue Veer.

When Wildlife SOS received confirmation that they could help Veer, the organization sent one of its elephant ambulances, loaded with medical supplies and equipment, to pick up the elephant and safely transport him to the group’s Elephant Hospital Campus. Veterinarians were along for the ride to monitor Veer’s health throughout the trip.

At the Elephant Hospital Campus, Veer underwent a thorough medical examination, during which the extent of the elephant’s neglect was revealed.

“He showed clear signs of long-term physical strain and neglect, with poor body conformation. The most serious concern is a severe injury to his right forelimb, where scar tissue and joint damage have restricted movement. Because of this, he struggles to bear weight on that leg and relies heavily on the others for support, which has created additional strain across his body,” Ashok says of Veer’s exam results.

Veterinarians also found damage to Veer’s foot bones, “likely caused by years of carrying heavy or poorly balanced loads,” along with a swollen tail, and troubling wounds.

“He was bearing multiple septic wounds because of spiked chains. This made me pause and be careful not to touch those areas. I made sure I carried out the septic treatment from a distance. Despite being in so much pain, Veer’s behaviour remained so gentle towards his rescuers,” Dr. Rahul Prasad, a veterinary officer at Wildlife SOS, says of his patient.

“While many of these injuries are chronic, our veterinary team has begun treating them and will continue to provide long-term care and pain management as he recovers,” Ashok adds.

Veer’s treatments include laser therapy and hydrotherapy for pain management, as well as regular pedicures to improve the elephant’s foot health. The rescue animal is also enjoying the freedom of choice for the first time in years. Veer now lives in a large, open enclosure at Wildlife SOS’s elephant facility, featuring soft, sandy ground and mud beds that are much easier on the elephant’s tired joints.

“His enclosure also includes a pool, which he can enter whenever he chooses. This allows him to enjoy water-based relief for his legs at his own pace,” Ashok shares. “We also provide feeding enrichments, which encourage natural foraging behaviour and help keep elephants mentally active. In addition, Veer goes on gentle walks through the forested areas in and around our centre twice a day.”

The changes have already had a noticeable impact on Veer. The “understandably cautious” elephant has transformed into an observant animal who shows his appreciation for his rescuers and new surroundings with “gentle huffs and curious trunk movements.”

This remarkable progress is why Wildlife SOS strives to save animals like Veer, Ashok says.

“Our goal is to give him the care and security he was long denied — a place where he can heal, rediscover natural behaviours, engage with other elephants, and simply exist as an elephant should. We hope that the memories of the hardships he endured slowly fade into the past as he settles into a life of peace and care,” she shares.

Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, added in a statement, “Veer suffered for years in silence, used for begging, forced to walk on hot concrete, and denied the veterinary care he desperately needed. We are relieved he is finally in safe hands, and hope his rescue inspires the wider awareness and action that elephants across India so urgently need.”

Wildlife SOS is optimistic that Veer’s fresh start will inspire animal lovers “to take a stand against elephant rides and other exploitative tourist activities that put these animals under immense physical and psychological stress,” Ashok says.

To learn more about Wildlife SOS’s efforts to save neglected elephants and support them, visit the organization’s website.