Cry freedom: 6 amazing videos of animal emancipation

There are no words to describe the joy of captive animals tasting freedom — these videos say it all.

The story of Raju, the Indian elephant that cried when he was freed from his spiked shackles and chains after 50 years, went viral last week. Taken by force from his mother when he was a calf, Raju had 27 owners who mistreated and abused him, using him to beg for coins from tourists. Often, Raju had to eat plastic and paper garbage to fill his empty stomach.