BETHLEHEM, N.H. (WSVN) — A dream trip turned into a nightmare for Beth Bogar, a globetrotter from New Hampshire after an elephant bit her in the arm during an up-close photo op at the Mason Elephant Park and Lodge in Thailand.
“I couldn’t get my arm out. I could just hear cracking from and I just started to panic,” said Bogar. “It was like a suction — and pushed into his mouth.”
The photos were taken by the elephant’s trainer who, she said, was instructing her on how to pose with the massive animal.
“I just feel as though he was guiding me and he let my arm get too close to his mouth and I didn’t know how close too close was,” said Bogar.
Bogar was rushed to a hospital over an hour away where she had emergency surgery, costing her thousands in medical bills.
“The doctor was able to go in,” she said. “There are plates, there are screws and everything is put back together. But it’s going to be a long road.”
The resort at first promised to investigate the incident and help pay for about half of the $10,000 medical bill until they suddenly stopped responding to their calls and messages.
Bogar’s husband, Les, said the company assured them that they had insurance to cover the expenses and that they would be taken care of.
The resort has since sent her $4,800 to cover her medical expenses.
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