During a rescue not too long ago, Leyton and I visited another wolf & wolf-dog facility. Always curious to learn ways to better our Sanctuary, as well as make contacts with other people in the same business, we like to visit different animal facilities, especially other wolf Sanctuaries. The sad thing is, that in my experience, its often times as heart-breaking as going to the scene of a rescue.
All too often, it seems that a wolf & wolf-dog rescue is started just from someone’s compassion with nothing else. A wonderful, kind, good-intentioned person begins taking in animals that need a place to go, and have no other choice than euthanasia. Unfortunately, with so little funding available and so much misinformation in the wolf-dog world, the rescued animals are placed into a situation that does them not much good. Simply a, prolonged imprisonment and not a true Sanctuary… Miscellaneous fencing is used anywhere from barbwire to chicken fencing to electric fencing. Too many animals are placed into too small of enclosures. Funding prohibits a proper diet, and so animals are fed whatever leftover kibble comes there way. Misinformed people educate others with the same misinformation…
It saddens me to see this type of facility even when I know, that at heart, it is good-intentioned. It scares me to think that the education that is being derived from a “sanctuary” is driving more popular beliefs that will lead to more victims.
What it reminds me of, though, is how grateful we all are for the lives we are able to provide our animals. It strengthens my belief that we can’t simply rescue animal after animal. We need to set limits so that we can continue providing our animals with proper Sanctuary. It compels me to continue educating. It inspires me to reach out further and stronger and educate more people – as many people as possible. It perhaps, most importantly, dedicates me to what I am doing: It fuels my dedication to this life, to this Sanctuary, to these animals.