In the last week or so, the Sanctuary has acquired two new animals, Rain and Cheyenne. Rain, a one year old mid-high-content wolf-dog from Southern California, and Cheyenne, an extremely high-content wolf-dog (think pure wolf with pointed ears) from North Carolina.
Over a month ago now, we received a call from a heart-broken woman named Sherry. About 5 years ago, Sherry purchased a female high-content wolf-dog. While we never advise ownership of these animals and are adamently opposed to breeding and sale of wolf-dogs, Sherry has been a delight, as she is one of the most responsible owners we have ever come across. She did her research. She built an enclosure that was 1/4 acre. She included a tall fence, an overhang, and a containment area. While she became very affectionate with the female, she never once considered the animal a pet, but more of a companion in her back yard. Soon after having the female, Sherry began getting concerned about having her alone, and when she visited a breeder to inquire about this, she found Cheyenne. At the time, Cheyenne was only a couple of weeks old. The owner, a backyard breeder with tiny enclosures, poor conditions, and bare-minimum socialization, was keeping all of his animals in a situation that was heart-breaking. As Sherry looked at Cheyenne, while not wanting to contribute to the breeder, her heart leapt, and she made on of the hardest mistakes to avoid. She purchased Cheyenne in an attempt to save just this one animal for poor conditions, and Cheyenne became a companion for her female.
Five years down the road, Sherry experienced one of if not the most heart-wrenching experiences of her life. While the enclosure contained an overhang and a containment, it had no ground wiring. Sherry new this was a problem, and a few times, the female did escape, but only to scratch at the door to get Sherry's attention. After much procrastination, the groundwire remained unlaid. One day, the female escaped, and within no time at all, was shot. Sherry was heartbroken and completely disgusted with herself for letting this happen. In the next few weeks, as she looked through her tears out the window to Cheyenne, howling alone, pacing alone, staring into nothingness alone, and barely eating or playing, her heart began to break anew. Here was an animal who was completely unsocial, who's only companion in life had just been lost to him. While Sherry had attempted to give the pair the best life she could, she new she had let them both down, and now, Cheyenne was languishing.
When a wolf is alone, they think of nothing other than finding companionship. They are such strong social creatures that alone, they cannot survive, and sometimes, are so depressed that they may die for no explainable reason other than a broken heart. This is especially apparent when an animal loses his or her mate.
Cheyenne proved typical. He mourned, he became less active and less interested in food, and, spent his days pacing the enclosure looking for a route to escape. The drive to find a companion is so strong, that when an animal is put into this position, they will continuously search until one day, they do achieve their goal of escape. This is often when miraculous climbing, jumping, digging, and destruction is seen.
Sherry was devastaded at the loss of the female, especially due to the bond they had shared. But now, more than ever, she realized how much she had let the pair, especially Cheyenne, down. Here was an animal languishing in her backyard, and she could do nothing to fix it... When she called the breeder, his answer was, "Just get him another female." Sherry, by this point, had fully accepted that she could not contribute to breeding anymore, and that she had failed a pair once--she was not going to do it again.
When Gary received the phone call from Sherry, his heart went out to her. We in the business of rescue constantly here cries of "My wolf-dog attacked me," and "he's destroying my house," and "it's illegal to own him here." We also consistently hear stories of disgusting abuse, neglect and malnourishment constantly. Here, for one of the first times ever, we were talking to a woman who completely admitted to her mistake, had done her absolute best in the aftermath to provide an adequate environment, and now, devastated with her failure, was doing whatever she could to place her animal in a safe, healthy, and fulfilling environment.
While the stories of animals being rescued that were abused immediately fuel ones passion to save the creature, Sherry's story of personal torment was enough to inspire a move to Sanctuary. While we were completely full at the time, we knew, that unfortunately, we could expect a few losses in the near future as animals such as Loki were showing signs of the end. We also knew that Cheyenne, if not rescued now, was bound for the abuse and misery, and eventual death, that so many animals constantly suffer. He would escape and be killed. Or, he would find himself being euthanized at the humane society. Or, he would languish and die, whether with Sherry, or a less-appropriate home. Sherry made it easy... She agreed to pay for all transport expenses, as well as a vet visit including Cheyenne's neutering. Cheyenne was also the type of animal we specialize in and accept, a high-conten wolf-dog with typical behavioral issues (he is completely unsocial.) With much work, complete with the great assistance of Continental Airlines, we were able to bring Cheyenne to the Sanctuary.
Cheyenne's story is one of salvation. However, while his is not a story of severe abuse and recovery, it is instead a story of the heartbreak of an owner who desperately attempted in every way possible to provide two animals with the proper environment. Even doing all of her research, even doing everything she possibly could, she still could not provide for these animals. Perhaps for those who are not affected by the statistics, by the educational material against owning high-content and pure animals as pets, and by what would seem an obvious reason not to purchase a wolf or wolf-dog, perhaps for them, Sherry's story of a responsible owner's torment may help instead.
Cheyenne's transport was not easy. But now, he resides at the Sanctuary, currently in an isolation enclosure while he becomes introduced to his surroundings and a new enclosure on top is prepared for him. In the meantime, another new arrival, Rain, is flirting in her wolfy way, through the isolation enclosure next door to him.
