Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary- Loving,Learning,Living

Full of Surprises

2007-04-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

When a new animal arrives at Wild Spirit, we’re always excited to watch their personalities develop… It’s rewarding to watch an animal become more comfortable, interesting to watch how they adapt to their new surroundings, and inspiring when they make the first move toward interaction with one of us, if it is not immediate.
The five additions from the Oregon trip have been no exception. Axel remains the shyest, though he too, is beginning to be more curious – coming closer to people, sniffing with interest at tours and volunteer passers-by.
Sierra’s curiosity has begun pushing her further and further, and while at first, Yukon was getting breakfast-and-a-half each morning, I even saw Sierra stealing more than her fair share from her previously braver companion this morning.
Lani has already won the hearts of many of our volunteers, with her playfulness, her antics, and her pushy-way of asking for attention. She’s full of energy, yearning for scratches, and quite the trickster.
Yukon & Nakota, however, have by far given the most surprises. Nakota has taken to “nipping” volunteers on the way out of his enclosures. One morning, one of our volunteers came into the office and quite confusedly, but seriously said to me, “I’m not sure what to think of it, but I’m pretty sure Nakota just bit me.” Upon further investigation, I found that it was by no means an aggressive bite, but more of a “nip” for attention. Later in the week, two more volunteers were “bit” by this naughty fellow, and it’s become almost as regular of an occurrence as Mr. Shyloh’s morning nibbles. I mentioned this in a recent email to his previous owner, who informed me that this was a habit he developed toward people he enjoyed. It certainly seems to be an affectionate “taste,” and I myself am hoping to get a nip one of these days when I least expect it. I suppose it’s almost unfortunate that I’ve learned to be so cautious and observant – I’m missing out on the fun with Nakota!
Yukon, however, has not left me out of his antics. He’s a very brave boy these days, and perhaps was always the bravest. When Leyton and I were driving them from Oregon, I was amazed at how calm this boy was, even after he had destroyed the side of his kennel, and we began carefully reaching in to feed and water him. While we did so with great caution, Yukon seemed unaffected, and almost comforted by the short pets we offered him.
Now, while Yukon has not solicited for actually “scratches,” he has approached myself and his new caretaker, Allison, on several occasions-- some head-on… others, with an element of surprise.
It wasn’t more than a week ago that I was bent over in the enclosure, cleaning Yukon & Sierra’s water, that I felt something cold & wet on the small of my back. As I turned, I jumped what felt like a full foot in the air when I saw Mr. Yukon, a mischevious look on his face, staring back at me. On another occasion, I had brought some treats in for the “new kids” and while I didn’t hear or a see a thing, Yukon had somehow managed to steal the whole bag from directly beside me. Tonight, Allison relayed a story of Yukon deciding he wanted some excitement, play-bowing and running around her in circles.
In the beginning stages, the more sociable an animal becomes, the more cautious we must be when interacting with them. But it sure adds excitement to the “ride.” And as Yukon & Nakota begin testing the boundaries, experimenting with how far their mischievousness can take them, I can’t help but feel joy in their acceptance. To know, that just now, they are beginning what will hopefully be many years of naughtiness, trickery, mischief and experimentation, well, that’s where the real reward comes from… that’s what makes each day worth while – and full of surprises!

Toothy Grins & Gruesome Growths

2007-04-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

I had heard Leyton once say how many times he regretted not becoming a vet when it briefly crossed his mind in his younger years. Of course, the six years of life spent in classrooms seemed itself a lifetime. Now, in even my young years, and even shorter time working here, I find myself, too, considering the idea of going to vet school. At best, I’ve merely entertained the idea. After all, while I can “get in there” with the blood, guts, and other messes, the moment I find myself in control of another beings’ life – I get shaky and nauseous. Still, over and over, I find myself wishing – dreaming – that there was someone here that could take care of issues when they arise.

On Sunday, Ghengiskhan gave his typical Loaf-day smile, growling over the loaf he was sure a volunteer would try to steal through his fence. During this particular snarl-session, however, Chris happened to notice a large growth seeming protruding around Ghengis’s canines. Upon closer inspection (of course only sparked by another through-the-fence- antagonized-Elvis-lip-curl) it seems as though one of the 11-year-old “babies” has grown a strangely shaped lump either from the gum line or roof of his mouth.

We’ve seen growths such as this before. In some cases, (for example, Fenris’s some what unsightly lip presence) they have proven to be nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, we are also quite aware of the severity some such growths can develop into. It being cancerous is not out of the question, and the chances of the disease being elsewhere are by no means unlikely if that is the case. Since growths in the mouth can often grow rapidly, this is, of course, a serious concern.

In Fenris’s case, once again, it was an easy issue with which to deal. Fenris, a friendly, mellow boy, is easily leashed, easily examined, easily transported, and generally – easy to deal with in all cases. Ghengis, however, is one of our toughest characters. The idea of even examining this growth more carefully without him being sedated is beyond question. The closest we can get to a thorough investigation without drug assistance is purposefully sparking an infamous toothy grin. And thus, there can be no quick trip to the vet. There can be no on-site “fix-up.” We will need to have a vet come to the Sanctuary, equipped with anesthesia, prepared to do surgery on site.

In the past, we have been lucky enough to deal with a few vets willing to make the long drive to the Sanctuary for such issues. Unfortunately, currently we do not have someone willing & able, especially not in a rapid timeframe. And so, for the last week, we’ve been on a quest, soliciting to those vets we work with already, and even some that we haven’t worked with as of yet. So far, however, no luck, and Ghengis has not left my mind. We all hope that it will prove to be a non-issue. But, it of course, weighs on the mind, and I can’t help but worry that whatever is affecting him is growing with every moment a vet can’t come. And so, I find myself –once again—thinking that, if I started going to vet school, part-time even, at some point, perhaps, this wouldn’t be an issue… But then again, I suppose a better dream would be to find someone who already holds this occupation as their passion, and would be willing to help us in caring for ours.

On Transporting Wolves

2007-03-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

Transporting wolves is not an easy nor in any way glamorous task. I’m often shocked to hear people’s ideas of how it’s done.

When we were discussing Lani & Lakota being brought to us in Medford, for example, the owner’s original plan was to simply leash them and put them in the back of the car. What people often don’t realize, is that unless a wolf has been conditioned extraordinarily well to riding in vehicles, long-term transport is an extremely stressful experience. A wolf, no matter how sociable, let loose in the back seat of a car, will most-often begin to find any escape possible.
When we were doing the Oregon transport, we were dealing with Yukon & Sierra and their son, Axel, all of which had virtually no travel experience, and were not sociable with strangers at all. Nakota, while sociable with his owner, is a very shy, neo-phobic boy himself. Lani, well, Lani probably would have had no problems at all riding in the back of a car, but, with five animals in tow, the safest situation was to have all five animals in large, 700 level kennels.
Short-distance transport is typically stressful, but a 20 hour ride with five animals becomes an even larger ordeal. Our trek began with the capture of Yukon, Sierra and Axel. None of the three are very sociable, none had kennel experience, however, their captures went smoothly and all three were kenneled in an unexpectedly short period of time. We loaded them into the back of our van, and continued into town where we met up with Lani & Nakota, who, upon our request, had been previously kenneled by the owner and were easily placed directly into the van as well. And thus, began our journey.
There are many things to take into account when doing this type of transport. While food is not too much of an issues since wolves are built for and used to fasting, we always attempt to keep our passengers comfortable by going through quite a bit of un-salted beef jerky. Of primary concern, though, is making certain that the animals remain hydrated. Unlike with most dogs, there is no option of removing the animal from the kennel for a drinking break, nor is it possible to open a door and insert a bowl of water. Water bottles similar to those used for rabbits and guinea pigs may work for a non-stressed animal, but those already agitated will simply pull them into the kennel, detach them, or totally destroy them. The only way we have found to easily offer a wolf in transport water, is by feeding ice-cubes through the gates. This is a fairly simple task, but certainly adds frequent stopping times, and some curious passers-by. Fairly often during transport, I wonder what the other folks at the gas station or rest area are thinking when they see Leyton and myself stopped, van doors hanging open for air flow, and us feeding ice cubes through gates to thirsty wolves. Sometimes, it becomes an impromptu educational talk and explanation of our Sanctuary’s mission.
The other thing people perhaps forget is that wolves are pretty smelly creatures in confined spaces. Wolves certainly have a musk. In open, outdoor areas, it is rarely very noticeable. However, in a confined area, especially when an animal is stressed, the musk becomes extremely apparent. Beyond this, while many animals will not urinate or defecate where uncomfortable, stress sometimes lends itself to an animal going to the bathroom in his or her kennel. Once again, when dealing with a fearful and potentially dangerous animal, leashed walks for potty-breaks are not an option. Instead, it is something that we and the wolves must simply deal with. We did end up lining the kennels with cedar chips which helped absorb and mask the smell somewhat, however, it was certainly entertaining when we returned to the Sanctuary and volunteers got a “whiff of wolf” when we opened the doors.
Yukon added some additional concerns to our trip. While we’ve often considered the possibility of it happening, Yukon became the first animal to begin tearing through his kennel. With him, he showed no apparent signs of stress, fear, or the like. However, he certainly was not happy with his confinement, and so, began pulling the metal bars of his kennel’s window inward, until he had completely opened the area. Luckily for us, he was completely non-aggressive, allowing us to reach into the kennel to feed and water him at times. Also, with the van being packed full of kennels, he was unable to get himself out of the kennel to free-range in the back which would have presented quite a problem. When we arrived at the vet’s office in Gallup, we had another volunteer meet us to reassemble the kennel complete with a steel plate to prevent it from happening again on the trip from the vet’s to the Sanctuary.
Thankfully, the transport went fairly smoothly. We arrived at the vet’s office on time for the boy’s surgery, and that evening made it back to the Sanctuary in time to release the animals into their new enclosures with still enough daylight to observe them in their new spaces for a while.
Today, all five have settled happily and healthily into their new lives. Transport is always stressful, and in some cases, even scary. Whenever it goes smoothly, we are truly thankful and it is certainly comforting to watch new animals get over what must be an extraordinarily stressful experience. Most times, thankfully, when you look at our animals today, or even only a few weeks after, they seem as though it was never an issue. I wonder, if in retrospect they begin to think: “Hey that wasn’t so bad,” or, “It was all worth it, after all.” I hope that at least in most cases, this is true.

2007-03-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

When Leyton, his wife Georgia and daughter Lakota went up to Oregon to pick up the arctic pups, their breeder told Leyton that he was done with the wolf-breeding business and that WSWS could have their parents as well. Obviously, the family trio and Subaru weren’t up for another two adult additions to the car ride, and so, for awhile, Yukon & Sierra remained in their original home. A few months ago, however, their owner called to ask us if we would come pick them up.
We’re always happy to get at least a couple of wolves off of the breeding market, and, it was an exciting idea to have an entire family group at our Sanctuary. So, we began making plans for a trek up to Oregon to pick up the parents, and their older, 3 year old son, Axel.
In the meantime, a woman named Missy began frantically (and persistently) calling us to see if we could perform a rescue. Lakota, a high-content wolf-dog that had at one point been in her care, had been through several home-changes, and ended up in Oregon in a county where he was illegal. With some problems bringing him to the attention of the local authorities, his current owner was given a week to either find him new placement or have him euthanized. Missy’s persistence, passion, and cooperativeness encouraged us, and the Sanctuary happened to have an open enclosure after the passing of a couple of animals. We agreed to pick up Lakota and his long-time companion, Kaelani, a low-content wolf-dog, if they were transported to the town where we were picking up the parents.
And so, a few weeks ago, Leyton and I hit the road for a 20 hour drive to Medford, Oregon. We left Oregon at 11 am on a Sunday morning, tag-team drove the way back with four wolves and a low-content wolf-dog in tow, and arrived at the vets office that Monday morning for the boys to be neutered. Kaelani (Lani) had already been spayed, and we chose not to have Sierra’s surgery due to some concerns about her current condition. The boys, however, went through surgery without any problems, and at the beginning of this month, five new residents joined our furry family.

2007-03-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

Rain, a beautiful 2 year old, mid-content wolf-dog who’s been at our Sanctuary less than a year, now bares a pretty hefty battle wound. Our stunning “super-model” wolf-dog, lost a pretty large chunk of her ear to her new, quite feisty neighbors. Ear nips are a pretty common thing around here. Reinforcements are hung, great lengths are taken to find proper, safe “fight-wire,” and in some extreme cases, even plywood is placed between certain enclosures. We have great debates over how to position animals so that not only are they in compatible pairs, but in compatible “neighborhoods” as well. But, no matter what great lengths are taken, there’s always the occasional accident or unexpected incident.
This evening, as a bunch of the volunteers and staff members got together for a campfire, we got a bit silly and started discussing writing a local radio station who’s doing a $10,000 plastic surgery give-away, to plead Rain’s case. Of course, we wouldn’t mention the fact she’s a wolf-dog!

You see, living in the middle of the woods, surround by wolves, anthropomorphizing is sometimes taken to the next level; We talk about Ghengis having a secret tunnel inside his cave house that leads to a huge “Player’s Suite” complete with heart-shaped bed. We discuss Raven being the “James Bond of Wolves” and imagine him in human form, wearing a tuxedo and talking in a British accent. In the early morning, while we drink our coffee at the picnic tables before beginning the work day, sometimes great debates are held over what Cove & Shakti are grumbling at one another about through the fence that day, and whether the girls will insist their respective partners stand up for their honor as well. Of course, it’s all in good fun.
What I do find myself seriously considering, however, is what exactly the pre-ear-nip, cheek-bite, etc. discussion is like. I can’t imagine it’s premeditated, and so, what kind of wolf-world conversation lends itself to ending in a small-body-part removal? And in retrospect, is Rain now self-conscious around her handsome pen-mate, Ashlar? When Ghengis removed the majority of Artemesia’s ear several years ago, was there a fatherly lesson being taught? Or does there relationship lend itself more to a marital spat?
I’ve worked with a lot of canines in my young life, and though I’ve always felt each and every animal has his or her own personality, the wolves & wolf-dogs seem to have even more going on – through the fences, in the “neighborhoods” amidst the Sanctuary… In some cases, it seems as though intricate social networks are formed even throughout the compound.

If nothing else, I’m certain that when Nakona down front lets out a howl, she’s making sure Princess on the hill know’s exactly what’s going on in the parking lot. And soon, of course, the

chain reaction begins, and all the neighbors are gossiping…

2007-03-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Allison and I took Forest to Cherry Hills Library in Albuquerque. It was the first of the library presentations either I or Forest had done, and so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but as it turned out, there was a great group of kids (and adults) that seemed very interested in learning as much as they could about wolves. Forest, also, did a fantastic job.
When you go to an outreach event, you never really know what to expect. Certain tablings you’re lucky if you see a few people all day long; others, it feels like there’s never a break from offering our rhetoric. When it comes to presentations at schools & libraries, for example, it’s always a guessing game as to how the people are going to respond, and with the pups, how the ambassador wolf is going to feel.
Forest amazes me almost every time we go out into the public. At the Sanctuary, and as far as we’ve seen, he’s almost always a “happy-go-lucky” kid. At this particular library, Forest spent the entire time I was talking sleeping on the floor in front of me. More malleable than ever, he let me lift his paws to show the webbing between his toes, stretch out his tail to exhibit its lack of curl, fur pattern, and precaudal spot, and even mangle his fur about to show the two layers and the length of the guard hairs. It wasn’t until the first group of children came up to pet him that Forest finally woke up.
When he first woke up, I must admit a small part of me wondered what his reaction was going to be. While I know Forest to be a very understanding wolf pup, waking up to 6-7 little people petting you and another twenty or thirty crowded behind you can be a stressful situation for even the most well-adjusted of dogs, let alone a wolf. Forest, however, woke up just as pleased with all of the attention he was receiving as ever, and even though I asked the crowd to stand back, he didn’t seem very concerned.
As I walked him around the room then, meeting different people, mostly children, Forest gave kisses – perhaps tongue baths – to almost every small child he came in contact with. One little girl was so appealing, that Forest crawled into her lap and decided he was going to stay there for a bit. It amazes me how at ease this little boy is in such scary, scary situations. We try to explain to our audiences how miraculous it is for a wolf to do a program such as this. After all, here is this naturally shy creature, surrounded on all sides by his only predator; fearing (and thus avoiding) humans is the strongest instinct a wolf holds.
I compare Forest to the other puppies. All of the arctics, who we’ve spent much more time hand-rearing and socializing, are much more fearful of humans. Even Storm, who also acts as an “ambassador in training” shows fear at new things, new atmospheres, and is visibly less excited to meet people. Forest’s brother’s and sisters all have fears of various things. So far, with Forest, the only fear I’ve seen exhibited is toward heights. Strange, but definitely preferable in most situations!
I compare Forest to some of the socialized adults at our Sanctuary. I think about the previous “babies,” who were the only other litter of pups ever to be at our Sanctuary. While they all went through the same socialization process, 11 years later, Ghengis, for example, is one of our toughest characters. I wonder, will there be a changing point where Forest decides he must exhibit his dominance toward humans instead of his affection?
We hope and pray everyday that these beautiful, sociable pups will remain this way forever. We work diligently to keep them socialized, to make sure they are enjoying their ambassador programs, to “condition” them as best as we can. And most of the time, it’s easy to fall into thinking: “They’ll always be so sweet, so cuddly.” Unfortunately, we need to remember that that was the thought behind each and every animal now in our care. The same thought that all new wolf & wolf-dog owners have with their newly purchased pups.
The likelihood that Forest, or any of the pups, will remain quite this brave, sociable and malleable is slim to none. He certainly has something special about him, however, and perhaps, Forest, Storm, or one of the other pups will beat the odds and surprise us all. We can only hope, and continue our efforts.

2007-03-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, we lost Vangogh. Vangogh was an old wolf-dog. During his long life at our Sanctuary, he’s had many health problems, including obesity. Many diets were tried in an effort to help him lose weight, but unfortunately, nothing seemed to help.
He, however, did seem to be a fairly chipper fellow, and was a well-known character around the Sanctuary and among our members. Named for his one floppy ear, and combined with his plump “tub on legs” appearance, he was an easily recognized face. His antics, such as chasing (think: waddling) his caretakers around his enclosure each morning, kept everyone entertained, and gave volunteers something to look forward to in the morning.
It was only the day before his passing that Vangogh showed signs that he was not feeling well. Unfortunately, with some of our animals, it seems the dying process can take days, weeks, even months in some cases. If nothing else, it was certainly relieving to know that Vangogh when peacefully and quickly.

Left behind, however, is Waya. Waya & Vangogh had each had one previous mate prior to one another, however, the two had been together for many years. While there’s was never an extremely affectionate relationship, after his passing, Waya is certainly showing signs of stress.
It is difficult to say, a lot of the time, especially with shyer animals such as Waya, what it is they may be feeling. With her, I feel as though she is mostly concerned as to what happens to her now. I can only imagine the stress, confusion & concern of an animal who has been here as many years as Waya and never felt comfortable with humans. She has seen a previous mate and other animals pass away around her many times. She has moved enclosures, been introduced to a new fellow, and watched all kinds of changes happen throughout her years with us.
I wonder, is she concerned that she, too will pass away shortly? Is she afraid that we will move her to a place she is not as comfortable? Does she fear an introduction to an animal that she doesn’t want to spend the rest of her days with? Or, perhaps, she is truly in mourning for Vangogh.
Waya has always been a mystery animal to me. She is quite shy, and when many people are around, she spends most of her time pacing the enclosure boundaries. When a person is alone with her, however, she will stealthily sneak up and scent roll on their back side as long as they hold still – sometimes so fiercely a person feels as though they may fall over! Is she so intensely curious that it overrides her fear?
With such curiosity in little things, I imagine her curiosity in the absence of her mate and her own future must be overwhelming.
I don’t know what Waya’s future is, at this point. She, herself, is an older wolf-dog, and to place her with another animal would be difficult at best. She may spend the rest of her days alone. On one hand, I think this may be just as she wishes it. On the other, my own curiosity overwhelms me.

2007-03-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

Nikki, one of our newest residents, entertains me in a way that perhaps he shouldn’t. Nikki came to us perhaps six months ago. He’s an extremely high-content wolf-dog with a pretty typical past. A woman raised him from the time he was a pup, but at one point had to move unexpectedly. While Nikki spent time in a friend’s yard, the situation certainly wasn’t a possibility for permanence. He also, as he matured, had become more and more difficult to work with. The woman who took care of him found the only way she could safely enter the enclosure was to wear the exact same clothes every time she went in with him. If she wore anything else, he would nip at her, tearing her clothing and sometimes breaking skin.
When Nikki first came to us, many of our volunteers interacted with him frequently for the first couple of weeks. As time went on, however, Nikki proved to be more and more difficult, and is now placed on our high-maintenance list. Currently, Leyton is the only person to enter into his enclosure regularly. I’ve kept a relationship up with him, however, going in rarely, but mostly, through the fence. Nikki cracks me up, because at one moment, he is rubbing his body seductively up against the fence, soliciting for attention; the next moment, he is pouncing against it, barring his teeth, and growling what appears quite viciously.
The thing is, the more time I spend with him, the more I feel he’s like a teenage boy; he’s trying to seem all tough and macho, but in truth, he’s a big “scaredy-cat” who wants some attention but is timid at the same time. It’s as though he’s protecting himself by sporadically surprising the person offering him attention.
In any event, Nikki and I have a new through-the-fence routine. Each afternoon, and sometimes in the mornings, I go up to Nikki’s fence-line and he begins our interactions. Sometimes, he starts by rolling against the fence, and I offer him all of the scratches and pets he can take. Other times, he begins by pounding the fence, and I stand, inches away (of course there’s a fence in between), lecturing him on proper social behavior.
I make no claims that Nikki understands the words I am using. But, amusingly enough, if I lecture him consistently and don’t show any intimidation, Nikki will eventually stop, look at me somewhat confused, and then begin rolling on the fence, asking for attention.
Nikki reminds me a lot of Luna, one of our other notoriously bi-polar residents. Luna’s eccentricity, however, is more of a product of abuse. Nikki, well, Nikki is just a wolf. He’s a fairly typical young, socialized male wolf just reaching maturity. But, what I learned with Luna, was if I could ignore the growling and snarling-- if I could take some bites (no matter how painful and even if some did break skin and leave permanent scarring) that after it was all said and done, I could build a relationship with that animal and give them exactly what they needed: Understanding, patience, affection, and the ability to be who they are while receiving all of it.
I by no means advocate this to the other volunteers. I may be totally off base. But, I think Nikki is deep down inside, a pretty lovable, friendly, and timid kind of guy. And one of these days, I’ll try the same routine without the fence line. We’ll see where it takes us from there.

2007-03-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

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.

2007-03-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

I live in a 5th wheel trailer at the edge of the Sanctuary’s campground. It might not seem like much to many people, but as far as life is concerned here, it’s the luxury suite of volunteer housing. What’s made the trailer even more entertaining, is the constant animal presence.
I’m an animal lover. I’m a critter fanatic. I want warm, furry creatures to surround me at all hours of the day. I love the fact that I wake up each morning to the sound of wolves howling, I walk my dog to the office, I spend the first part of my day caring for wolves, and the latter, working toward funding their care. I love that after work, I visit with the residents, and come home to a house full of critters.
On a normal evening these days, the trailer is pretty quiet. It’s me, a Saint Bernard, and two lovable black cats. But the change over has been amazing, and at some points, you’d have a hard time believing there’s room for humans in this house.

Last summer, a friend of mine, Mary, came to volunteer at our Sanctuary for four months. She ended up sharing the trailer with myself, and at that time, a small dog named Nakita, as well as her dog, Sierra, a husky-shepherd cross. For a while, I was living in the Animal Care office with the puppies, and so, it was just Mary & the dogs. When the pups moved into an enclosure, however, I came back and started bringing with me two wolf-pups each night.
Even though the pups had moved outdoors, we still felt it extremely important for them to stay bonded with humans overnight, to spend time indoors in different situations, and to be around dogs. Each evening, I would bring home two of the pups, and sleep on the couch while they examined how to get around all of the puppy-proofing I had attempted. My bookshelves, counter tops, tables, etc. were all clear – anything on them would be tossed to the floor. Any food items were secure placed in a cabinet, or the refrigerator – nothing could be safely kept out. All electrical wires were taped securely. My floor was lined with cardboard so when the pups had to go to the bathroom, it was an easy clean up; you can’t house train a wolf!
They of course still found all kinds of mischief to get into. Parts of my carpet have been removed. The furniture all has “nibble marks.” That “secure tape” didn’t last long, and soon, the pups watched me open the cabinet & refrigerator doors and began doing so themselves. My curtains became shredded, the blinds mangled, and certain cabinet handles are now missing. But, of course, such can be expected with a trailer full of critters, especially wolf pups who are just exploring their abilities.
My favorite day, was after we had picked up Savannah, the Saint Bernard, who helps socialize the animals, and Mary had adopted Malik, a low to no-content wolf-dog who mistakenly came through the Sanctuary. Mary’s parents happened to be visiting, and they were baffled to walk into a trailer with two people, four dogs, and two wolf puppies.
What was more entertaining is when Mary’s mother commented: “I can’t believe you sit on the floor so the animal’s can have the couch!” Mary and I smiled at one another as we looked behind us. As we leaned against the couch, on it, chewing on rawhide, was Thunder the wolf pup, Malik & Sierra.
The thing about working with wolves is, you work with them on their terms. They will never learn things like dogs do: don’t get on the furniture, don’t chew things up, human food is not for you. They have no capacity to want to please humans, and thus, ideas like that never register with them. The thing about dogs that get to play with wolves is that they quickly learn they get to get away with a lot more when the wolves are around!
The pups are between 80 and 100 lbs now… While they still come to visit the trailer, typically I don’t let them spend the night. There’s too much of a danger of them figuring out an escape route or something physically harmful to get into while I’m asleep. Mary is back in Ohio with Malik & Sierra, and Nakita has moved in with another volunteer. It’s almost lonely only having one dog & two cats to keep you company. But, then again, it’s a lot cleaner and the trailer is in much better shape!

2007-01-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Only a couple of weeks after the arctic pups arrived, 5 six week old timber-arctic crosses were in need of placement. While we dishearteningly turned down the offer, another individual who planned on starting a facility in Ohio accepted the pups if we agreed to board them while he made travel arrangements.
From the day we met them, we started noticing a world of difference in the timbers from our original crew. The arctics we had started with were like “rag-dolls.” They cuddled, they fell into your lap if you touched them. The timbers were excitable, frisky jumpers who would leap into the air for attention. Their rambunctious personalities were endearing, and playing with them became quite a bit of fun for all of us

at Wild Spirit.
Roughly a week after their arrival, we began finding out a little too much about the situation they were going into. Proper arrangements had not been made, and we were misinformed of quite a bit. It was decided that we couldn’t let the timber’s go to the situation that had been planned. And so, while we toiled with the idea of arranging placement at a different facility, all five of the timbers ended up staying at Wild Spirit as well.
***
Sleeping in a room with six arctic pups is a quite an ordeal. There’s always someone awake, finding some sort of mischief to get into. There’s always someone who’s decided that the best place to pee is right on their caretaker’s pillow, and there’s always someone who thinks it’s a great idea to test out their new found teeth on the sleeping human’s arm or cheek!
When we first integrated the timbers however, 11 puppies in one room only lasted one night!
It was hard to let them go that first day – to put them in an enclosure overnight without supervision. It was hard to watch them find solace in one another, in the grass, in the mud, and not in a person.
The first night the pups spent in an enclosure together, I woke every two hours and checked on them – just as though I was still on their original bottle-feeding schedule. And each time, of course, they were perfectly all right and only mildly excited to see the overly-concerned human that had come to visit.
***
When the pups were being bottle fed, their paws pulled at our arms as though they were trying to push more milk out of a mother’s nipple. Tiny, sharp, cat-like claws dug into our arms, and Leyton and myself both looked as though we were making poor-suicide attempts, or trying to shoot up heroine! Tiny claw wounds were exposed to the sting of formula, but it never seemed to matter. Their tiny mouths sucking so strongly—their milk splattered “beards” – their warm, fuzzy gray bodies – it was too much “cuteness” to let any pain slip into one’s mind.
When the arctics & timbers moved into an enclosure together, a new feeding pain came about. The timbers were like “little jumping beans” and the arctics soon learned the trick as well. In order to feed the “chicken-paste” we were serving, we’d spread it out on bucket lids and carry at first two, then three, then four, then five platters into the enclosure with the pups three times a day.
For the first few days, we were able to simply open the door and be mauled for a few seconds before setting the platters on the ground for the “feast.” Soon however, anytime we went in, two or three little “fur-kids” came out! As soon as they saw the food entering the enclosure however, they of course followed.
Within a week our little timber “jumping beans” had taught the arctics the great trick of getting your food mid-air, and little bite marks began gracing my hands and arms each day. We came up with a new system, and started entering the enclosure and throwing the trays like Frisbees to different sides of the enclosure.
This, too, was not long-lasting and eventually, it began taking three people to feed the “puppy pack.” One person on either side of the enclosure, one (typically myself) inside, being handed one tray at a time to quickly toss in the other direction.
Amazing… to watch 11 pups eat 80 lbs of “chicken paste” each day… 20-30 lbs in each sitting, and it all disappeared within seconds…
***
Storm was the first to let us know he was ready for “real food.” I was working in the animal care office one day, while Alice, Storm & Sabine visited. At some point, one of our volunteers, Mary came in to tell me something or other, and as the door opened, Stormy slipped out into the Wolf Kitchen unbeknownst to either of us.
Now, the Wolf Kitchen is full of fun things. Since it's where we prepare and store all of the “wolf food” there’s always bags of treats in the pantry, dishes with leftovers on the sink, and plenty of leashes that look very edible to playful little pups. On many occasions, a pup had slipped between our legs and found something fun and mischevious to get into. Storm, however, found the jackpot.
Mary had just been preparing to de-bone, de-skin, grind, & blend chicken to make “baby-food.” As she was leaving the office, Storm pranced happily and proudly in with a chicken quarter in his mouth. He had found her bucket, and confiscated his first “real meal.”

Storm had some help on that first “snack.” Sabine & Alice assisted him in cracking the bones, and chewing it up, and the three had quite a good time in the office that day. While we waited a couple of more weeks, it was a good sign that the kids were ready for chicken – bone and all – just like the rest of the wolves.

***
The best thing about puppies in comparison to adult wolves, is that pups still love human attention. When they escape, they come running to their human mom’s and dad’s to let them know about their new-found talent. It’s a good thing, too, because our kids sure found plenty of escape routes.
In the beginning, we kept small 3-foot gates around the enclosure entrance so the pups had a “sub-enclosure” to come into when tours were around. We’d open the gate, let a couple of pups in, and visitors could reach over the small fence to greet the youngsters.
Without any testing of limits, Thunder one day shocked us all by jumping straight up in the air and clearing his “containment.” The tour loved it – The laughed as Thunder romped around the inner-compound and his brothers & sisters, and timber cousins excitedly watched. Thunder, quite proud of himself, simply pranced up to Sierra, one of our volunteer’s dogs, and we were able to leash him and take him back to his enclosure.
The bad thing about this situation is that wolves learn by observation. The next time pups were let into the containment, they all remembered Thunder’s genius idea, and thus, we had four wolf pups romping happily through the inner-compound.
The pups also made other escape arrangements. Dakota, the largest of the timbers, and who I’ve always referred to as “my problem child” found that he could tunnel out of his enclosure. Now, while this was definitely a problem, I couldn’t help be impressed by this act.
You see, all of the enclosures at the sanctuary are equipped with ground-wiring to prevent such activity. While wolves consistently dig down and straight across, they rarely dig up. The reason for this, is most likely that they’ll be laying on their backs, getting dirt falling in their face if they are digging upward. Of course, it’s still a possibility, and of course, the enclosure the pups were in wasn’t quite as well equipped as our adult enclosures, and of course one of the pups was bound to surprise us.
We watched the digging start. We watched the pups hit the ground wire, and continue digging a nice hold straight down. One afternoon, however, we also watched a furry little paw reaching out from under the ground. Dakota had tunneled his way out of their enclosure, and covered in dirt, started happily wiggling his rear-end and whining as soon as he saw he was outside and near the people he was trying to get to. Once again, wolves learning by observation hurt us, and several tunnels began taking form all around the perimeter of the enclosure. This day marked the first “puppy pen maintenance” as well as starting to split the pack up.
***

The pens we utilized for the pups when they first went outside are what we refer to as our “geriatric ward.” They are smaller pens, less-professionally constructed, they have felt the sting of time ware on them, and they aren’t quite as tall as our typical enclosures. Sabine, the tiniest of the pups, one day proved that the “geriatric ward” was no longer up to her standards.
During feeding. Sabine or “Bean” (think jumping bean), got so excited over the chicken that was about to be delivered, that she jumped straight up in the air, clearing the six foot fence and the extra feet of overhang. Flying through the air, headed straight for a chicken bucket, came the tiniest pup, and soon to follow, her equally impressive at jumping brother, Thunder.
The pups at this point began utilizing our isolation enclosures that are equipped with roofing, but it wasn’t long, before our 11 pups moved into large, “big-kid” enclosures.

2007-01-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

As a young woman with maternal instincts and little child-rearing experience, I’ve always dreamt of becoming the young mother to five children. For some reason three boys and two girls has always stuck out in my mind as the perfect family arrangement. In all these dreams however, I never once expected all five – with an extra girl to boot – to show up at once. Nor did I expect them to be quite so furry with such sharp teeth.
Wolf puppies that are destined for a life in captivity after being born as such require intense socialization for a happy, peaceful life in a facility such as ours. They must be bottle-raised and constantly around humans to accept us as part of their life. A wolf pup that grows up with other wolves will never trust the sight of a human, and thus, vet trips and feeding and anything involving humans becomes a stressful experience. For that reason, since their arrival at Wild Spirit, our six newest residents have been under the constant supervision of a surrogate human mother or father. Watching them grow so much in such a short period of time, I’ve gained quite the respect for those of you human mothers and fathers out there, and decided that anyone who wants to have children, should first attempt raising a wolf puppy to find out the responsibility awaiting you.
Phase 1 - I’m a terrible mother and my baby hates me.
I’ve heard tales of many new mothers having emotional breakdowns when a difficulty appears with their infant. “Why is she crying? I don’t know what she wants!” or “She won’t eat, what’s wrong?!” or “What’s wrong with me, my baby hates me!” It was probably five days into my surrogate mother duty when the pups had destroyed the one nipple they found acceptable. At 3:00 in the morning, covered in formula, urine and the smells of puppy, the office filled with the cries of hunger, and a 2.5 lb Sabine, wriggling anxiously in my arms, I burst into tears because I had failed the puppies. I couldn’t get them to eat, and couldn’t stop the hunger pains, and couldn’t make the crying stop, and my maternal emotions took over, and here I was, six little puppies tugging at my clothing, screaming to a staff member about how I was a failure as a mother.
When several new nipples arrived the next day, and the puppies began contentedly sucking away again, I came to the conclusion that, motherhood isn’t about success and failure, but merely the right kind of latex.
Phase 2 - Everything must be perfect, and I must document EVERYTHING.
In the planning stages of motherhood, first-timers always plan to do everything right. Children will be on food-pyramid dictated, vitamin-enriched diet, they’ll be at a third grade reading level by the time they reach pre-school, and elected as President of the United States before graduating high-school. To boot, mom will be documenting every event from the baby’s first word to the first time the new baby sees a pine tree…
For the first two weeks the puppies were with us, they were weighed daily. We took their measurements and temperature each evening, and took photos of each puppy in the exact same position to document every stage of growth.
Some time during their third week, I found myself hyperventilating over the fact that I had forgot a day’s worth of weighing and couldn’t find the records of the temperatures from the night before. It was when someone found me examining the one-pigment coloration difference in one of the puppies feces that they informed me I might be going a little overboard… A week later, pages and pages of documentation had been forgotten, and perfect, posed pictures had gone by the way-side of the 3,000 random pics that had already made it to computer hard drive.
Phase 3 - My baby doesn’t need me anymore.
As infants, humans and wolves are completely dependent on their mother to give them everything. Human babies need fed and bathed, to have their diapers changed, and their bedding perfectly arranged to avoid any dangers. Wolf puppies need bottle fed, stimulated to go to the bathroom, isolated from danger and disease, and constantly examined for any signs of illness.
At first, I was with the puppies 24/7. I sat with them day in and day out, found myself on a puppy schedule, napping when they did, eating after they were finished, running to the bathroom in those few short moments between feeding and cleaning and then feeding again. The first time I left them in someone else’s care, I found myself paranoid beyond my expectations. “What if one of them gets smothered by another puppy?” or “What if something falls from the shelf into the play pen and hurts them?” or “What if we suddenly get the first earthquake in the history of New Mexico, the window breaks, and the walls come falling down on the puppies?!”
Needless to say, when I came back from my short departure, the puppies were all fine, unaffected by the paranoia that had been swirling through my brain. Alice proved it a little more when one day she climbed out of the play pen and fell flat on her face. I went running across the room to comfort her, and by the time I arrived, she was already distracted by a very chewable paper towel roll a few feet away.
Phase 4 - The Teenage Years.
My teenage years are still fresh enough in my mind that I have no trouble whatsoever remembering all the yelling and screaming my mother and I did at one another. Over and over again, you hear mother’s talking about how they can’t believe their son/daughter would act this way toward them.
For the first few weeks of life here, all six of the puppies were sweet, lovable, moldable balls of fluff, completely dependent on humans for everything. They were cuddly, fell asleep in our arms, and licked at our faces anytime we were nearby.
One day, however, as I was cuddling Sabine, who originally slept on my chest every night and needed constant assistance in eating, I bent over to kiss her and a snarly growl escaped her mouth and she snapped at my face. A few seconds later, I felt a drip of blood, caused by “my sweet baby.”
Now, sometimes when I go to discipline the cubs for chewing on electrical wires, or put them into the sink for a bath, they scream and snarl and snap. While I know it is only for their own benefit, it is still heart-breaking to feel their anger and distress.
Parents of teenagers know that when they tell their 16 year old, “No you can’t go to Woodstock,” or “No you can’t go to that college party with some guy I’ve never met,” it is only for their own safety, however, those slamming doors, stomps around the house, and harsh words about “I hate you and I’ll never forgive you for this!” Are still devastating. I suppose the only plus size to a human teenager, is that they don’t have nearly as sharp teeth.
Phase 5 - Pride.
Through all of the hard work, all of the diaper changing, all of the late-night feeding, and all of the discipline and heart-breaking cries, the first steps of a toddler, or that young adult finally reaching for his or her diploma fills all parents with pride.
After scooping poop, mopping floors, being covered head to toe with scratches and scrapes and constantly smelling the many odors of puppy in my own hair and clothing, the first time the six little puppies, now 15 lbs in size grouped around me to raise their tiny little mouths to howl, I almost wept. The first day they were able to romp and run outside, I stood with pride watching their first explorations in a new world. And even the first time I saw two of the boys begin a dominance ritual, I couldn’t help but smile.
The experience these puppies have given me thus far is a dream that many people have but will never get the chance to understand. Few people realize how difficult it is to raise wolf cubs in an appropriate setting, and even here, we are still learning every day.
But if nothing else, watching six little wolf puppies go from bottle feeding to playing in an enclosure outdoors has given me quite the insight into what parents of all types of children go through.

2007-01-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Wolf puppies are pretty amazing things. In the past week, spending every moment with these four little critters beyond a total of five hours, my life has changed and my comprehension of a lot has also been affected.
Perhaps what is so amazing is to look at of them, grey balls of fluff, clear blue eyes, and perfect pad-marked feet, as they whimper and whine, sucking at a bottle and occasionally licking my lips in an effort to get me to regurgitate food, and think of how much they are going to change in the coming weeks, months, years… In six months time, each one of the cubs will have clear yellow eyes, remnants of baby blue faded beyond sight anymore. There coloration will have lightened, almost to a pure white. Their feet will be large, the pads tainted by a life of frolicking and running, and at least one will bare a battle scar of a sibling spat. They will grow to be no less than 70 lbs, and some, even by six months may be larger. They will no longer whimper to the sound of a blender, and I will no longer be able to simply scoop them up when they are getting into something they shouldn’t.
Even for someone who has worked with wolves, and day in and day out dealt with the phone calls and emails from people who have attempted to domesticate them as pets, it is difficult to hold such a sweet ball of fluff and refrain from thoughts such as, “Ah, they will always be this sweet, lovable, and docile.” New volunteers and visitors that come through have looked at these innocent cubs and had thoughts or utterances of how sweet they are. When we make mention of hoping one of them will be an ambassador for us, little do people truly understand how rare of a happening this will be. Time and time again, we find ourselves thinking that if a wolf is raised around people, raised like any dog, that when they mature, they will act the same. Even after explaining this over and over again, it is still hard for me to remember that this is not the case.
To some, this is a depressing thought. That, no matter how much love, affection and dedication I give to this animal, he will never be a loyal, trustworthy companion. For me, this may be perhaps the most amazing revelations I’ve been blessed with.
Sometimes, when I hold Sabine in my arms, her small body, so dependent on me, I begin day dreaming about the beautiful wolf she will someday develop into. I think of looking back at this day, her limp body cuddled on my chest, and remembering the hours spent with her. Someday, she may bless me with a kiss upon entering her enclosure, and exhibit excitement when I bring her breakfast, however, she will never again depend on me the way she does now. She will never exhibit the loyalty that my own dog, Nakita, has shown me. She will not patiently wait for me to take her for a walk, or play with her. She will not depend on me for enrichment and attention. Some days, she may not even acknowledge me, and when I am present in her enclosure, she will not respect me as an “owner,” she will look at me as simply another member of the pack. And someday, perhaps what is most difficult to believe, she may decide that she will be the alpha, and dominate me completely unprovoked from anything. If she needs to take a trip to the vet, I will not be able to simply “scoop her up,” and perhaps I will not even be able to leash her or kennel her. She too, even being bottle raised by humans, may become a dangerous animal when she matures. She will have her own agenda, a lack of fear of humans, and now, a pack mentality that includes us in its rituals.
All six of the puppies scamper up to a newcomer for attention right now. They want scratched and cuddled and anxiously await the gift of formula or baby food. Within only a few weeks, however, the fear will begin to take form, and we will see one or more hiding behind chairs or their siblings when new arrivals enter. When they are fully mature, some of them may only trust their original caretakers, if even them.
Currently, the small dominance displays that are shown between littermates are fascinating and endearing. When they mature, however, members of the litter may have to be removed from the original pack. The aggression may heighten and an omega may e at the receiving end of too much.
Watching them chase people’s feet, tare up bags of baby wipes and chew on shoes is currently amusing, however, when they have grown to full size and begin doing the same things as well as exploring new items like couches and chairs etc., it will not be as endearing, and for some, they’re playfulness may be the very reason they cannot be ambassadors. A puppy who climbs in your lap and licks at your face is cute. A wolf that does the same is over-bearing and in some cases even dangerous. I watch them develop, hour by hour… I’ve watched their ears raise from floppy to upright. I’ve seen them grow a full pound in only three days. I’ve seen Thunder begin scraping his feet at the ground after urinating, already utilizing the scent glands in his paws. I’ve watched as the puppies decided my bed is their territory, and thus, have decided this is the prime urination area. I’ve seen Thunder and Storm begin sparring, heads and tails raised high, ears clenched tightly together and back on the head, and a stern look of dominance in both of their eyes as one’s head is placed over the other. I’ve seen the first signs of fear as Sugar ran under the desk when the door to the office was abruptly opened. It’s an amazing experience to watch them grow day by day… And I can only imagine what will come in the future.

2006-09-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

Somehow, when we weren't looking, 11 balls of 3lbs of fluff have turned into 50 lb mini wolves...

What an amazing experience the last four months have been, and each and every day, there is more change, more growth, and more to learn....

A little back history:

Almost a year ago now, we at Wild Spirit all came to the very solemn realization that Raven, the miracle he is, was reaching the end of his career as our ambassador. It is amazing for any wolf to be in the public as a spokes-wolf at all, let alone as consistently and for as many years as Raven has been gracing the public eye. At 11 years of age, Raven has put in nine longe years of ambassadorship, and after all this time of thousands of hands rubbing across his body and many long hours standing on concrete floors, it is time for some peace and quiet.

Unfortunately, along with this solemn, realist though, came another difficult one... Raven was a miracle. Wolves & wolf-dogs in captivity are hardly ever so sociable, outgoing, and patient. The chances of another Raven falling into our lap are 1 in a million at best. And so, the other realization came that our best shot was to find a pup to start working with at as early of an age as possible.

At first, this idea seemed impossible as well. Afterall, as pups, wolves too are cute, malliable balls of fluff that no one wants to get rid of... It's not until they are full grown, and starting to mature that the myriad of problems associated with ownership begin to surface.

However, a friend of the Sanctuary put us in touch with a breeder in Oregon who had had a litter of Arctic wolves. While he had decided to get out of the wolf-breeding business, the breeder still had a pair of unaltered wolves who did in fact end up having a litter of pups.

Originally, the breeder agreed that five pups would come to Wild Spirit. The idea was exciting to all of us. Now, there were five possible chances at finding an ambassador. There were five pups that would never have to enter into the open market for captive wolves. And then, somewhat disheartening to all, we heard that the breeder had in fact decided to sell the pups, and only two were still coming to our Sanctuary.

While this was a disappointment of course, we all stomached the idea, knowing that this was originally the plan, and of course, two was much less work than five.. Then, two days before Leyton & Georgia left for Oregon, we got a call saying to plan on bringing six pups back with them. That's right, from 5 to 2 to 6...

And so, 6 little Arctic wolves came to the Sanctuary... Dark gray & fluffy, crystal blue eyes, held in the palms of our hands... 6 little Arctics came to Wild Spirit, and thus began an adventure that had barely begun...

Apologies & A Way to Help Fund the Sanctuary

2006-08-17T10:32:00.001-07:00

The problem with living in the middle of no where, is that when you get used to Internet Access, it's disappearances makes you feel as though the world has shut down... It's been almost three months since my last post, and this is simply explained by Direct Way having the worst internet service every as far as middle of no where New Mexico is concerned.

I'll try to quickly get back up to speed and make posting a priority again, but things have been hectic at the Sanctuary--- But exciting!

In the last six months, the Sanctuary has gained 15 new residents. The four adult wolves/wolf-dogs have already been annoucned on here. But perhaps the most exciting is the addition of 11 little wolf puppies!

That's right, we rescued two litters of cubs this year. There are six Arctic wolf cubs now at 16 weeks of age. We also rescued 5 Timber wolf cubs who are one week older. Currently, the 11 are being interchanged from enclosure to enclosure on a regular basis, to see who can work with who and possibly, who may be sociable enough to be our next ambassador.

I have been writing, whether on the internet or not, so I'll be "updating" the blog in the next week with all the previous posts.

Once again, I apologize for those of you who may have become "faithful readers."

Just a note for you internet surfers-- Help us raise money by using www.goodsearch.com powered by Yahoo search engine, and for every search you do, a penny is raised for Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary! That's right... search for 10 items, and you've just raised 10 cents. If everyone can start using this search engine for all of their searching needs, the millionaires of the web advertisement industry will start helping our cause.

--Your much belated scriber, Angel, WSWS

This Struggle Cannot Be Overcome By All

2006-05-22T22:29:00.000-07:00

Last week, I found myself on the road to Ohio with our newest volunteer, Mary, to pick up two new residents. A few weeks ago, we received an email from Tiffany Poulton, the Executive Director of The Richard E Flauto Wildlife Foundation. After inheriting the Sanctuary with the sudden loss of her former fiance, Rich, Tiffany has been struggling to survive for the last five years and doing anything and everything in her power to keep the Sanctuary alive. Unfortunately, as the years have passed, Tiffany has found herself working 2-3 jobs and along with her father, holding the sole responsibility for the 24 animals in her care. After attempting fundraising and volunteer recruitment efforts to no avail, she has decided that she must dissolve the Sanctuary, and thus, find placement for all of her animals. While we were only able to make a dent, we have been able to rescue two of her girls to become companions to two of our boys.

When Rich was a young child, he once told his mother, "Mom, when I grow up, I'm going to have lions and wolves." Little did his mother know at the time, that even Rich was in for a surprise when he matured. It was actually due to the loss of a common house cat that Rich began his rescue efforts. Tiffany remembers the loss as one that practically destroyed Rich. A cosmetologist by trade, Tiffany happened to be working on a client one day who announced that she was a "wolf-hybrid breeder" and invited Tiffany to come feed one of the newly born pups. Thinking that going to visit may cheer Rich up, she made arrangements to take him to the breeders house two days later. In the meantime, however, Rich and Tiffany were surprised to see the breeder on the evening news, charged for several counts of animal cruelty. When Tiffany explained to Rich that this was to be his surprised, his response was, "We have to do something to help them." Many of the womans animals were placed with another breeder who was very overwhelmed by the new arrivals. Rich and Tiffany picked up three of the pups to ease his burden, and thus began their rescue efforts.

In the coming years, Rich began seeking out wolves suffering abuse. He was able to rescue several wolves from an illegal fur farm, a petting zoo, and several irreputalbe breeders. Many of the animals he rescued were saved early in life, and thus, Tiffany & Rich bottle fed many of the residents at the Sanctuary.

At the age of 31, Rich died of a sudden heart attack. At this point, since Tiffany and Rich were not married yet, and due to the unexpected circumstances there was no will, the Sanctuary property was foreclosed on and put up for auction. Realizing that if they property was purchased all of the animals would be destroyed, Tiffany began scrambling to raise enough money for the 10% downpayment. At the auction, she was forced to bid large quantities against other bidders, as when the subject of the wolves was brought up, the general concensus was "We'll just shoot them." She was able to win, though she still had to search for the funding.

At the time of Rich's death, Tiffany knew nothing about wolves, their care, or the upkeep of a Sanctuary. Left with nothing but hope, her family and a few select friend's of Rich began tireless efforts to learn everything they could. With time, Tiffany founded the foundation in honor of her belated fiance. New enclosures were built. Fundraisers were attempted. An educational outreach program went into effect. However, in the meantime, all of the scrambling to simply survive had left a few of the females unspayed, and soon, the arrival of 11 wolf puppies became all that could be worried about. After the pups were born, the females were immediately spayed, however, there was now a population of 24 animals, and things were not getting any easier.

Throughout the years, Tiffany lost much of the support she had had when Rich first died. He had been a good friend, and many people wanted to honor his memory by assisting at first. However, with time, life gets in the way of volunteer work all too often, and soon, Tiffany, with some help from her father, became the only care-giver. Fundraising efforts were a flop, and educational programs brought little interest let alone funding. Tiffany realized that she could not survive anymore, working two jobs, and living out the life that was someone else's dream. At this point, an email was sent out to several Sanctuaries, including ours.

Our isolation enclosures are now occupied by two beautiful females, Maki & Kamia. Maki is a 5 year old Arctic/Timber cross who will hopefully finally give companionship to our newest boy, Cheyenne. Kamia is a 6 year old British Columbian/Timber cross who has a very sweet, calm disposition. We are hoping that she can take Meea's place in Fenris's heart, as Fenris is getting older and less playful, and Meea is simply languishing in an environment that is not someone's backyard.

The car ride was very stressful to the new girls, however now they are beginning to settle in to life across the country, and soon, we are sure they will begin singing with the chorus as well.

As Seasons Change

2006-05-07T23:31:00.000-07:00

Spring is in full swing and summer approaching, and the howls of the compound are strong with the change of season, loss of winter coats, and life revealing itself all over the ranch. It's been over a month since I've written, and it's simply because of changes and business, excitement and distraction, losses and gains, and everything else in between.

The Summer is bringing extreme change with it... Over the years, Candy Kitchen Rescue Ranch has blossomed into Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, and it feels as though just now, finally, Wild Spirit is finally embracing itself and developing into the Sanctuary and Educational Facility it has worked for all these years. There will be so much more effort, evolution, and time, but we are on the verge, and with the changing seasons, the people are howling inside as much as the wolves.

Simple changes have happened... New volunteers coming in, the Wolf Kitchen finally being usable and the Wolf Trailer finally carried far, far away. The remainders of the original compound, while leaving their nostalgia, are finally being removed to signify the physical transition. Walkways are being modified/beautified... Enclosures are going through spring cleaning and maintenance, and our office is moving to its new location, slowly but surely, allowing for the beginning of our installation of public restrooms.

Our resident's lives are also changing in some ways. Cheyenne, our newest boy, has moved to a big enclosure on the hill and anxiously awaits the arrival of a girlfriend from Ohio. Rain, our girl who was meant to be with Cheyenne, showed us rather clearly that she was a perfect match for Ashlar, and after residing with him for only a week, they have become a playful, affectionate couple that bring smiles to the faces of any and all passers-by. Kaisa has finally found a home, and within a few weeks, they will make the drive from Missouri to pick up their newest family member. We believe that Meea will also be finding a home, a wonderful couple from California who recently moved in, leaving Fenris with an older lady more to his interests. We hope that Greebo & Hooter, Wapahnee, & possibly Shauntehey will be quickly following in their luck.

A Sanctuary in Ohio that is closing down has requested our assistance, and with time, we may be receiving several of their animals. We have also recently received news that 5 Arctic wolf puppies will be joining our family. While deserving, low-to-no content wolf-dogs are finding homes, other animals needing rescue are finding their safe haven at our facility.

Not all change has been pleasant, however. Several of the animals we currently house are growing very old, beyond 15 years for many, and with age has arrived many health problems. While it is difficult, this too is a sign of evolution, time, and the passion that originally began our effort all those years ago when these animals were rescued.

Also, we unfortunately lost a more distant relative of the family -- an animal who's life was able to educate and inspire many, while acting as an ambassador. One of our dear friends, Dick Thayer, a board member, volunteer, and family member, recently lost his partner, Arrow, an Alaskan Noble Companion Dog who represented the availability of wolfy-looking animals with a disposition taht could be matched by no other. With the assistance of Dick, Arrow was able to teach many people about how difficult it can be to tell the difference between a wolf and a dog, as well as inspire many potential wolf-dog owners, to find in his breed an equally beautiful animal, wth a personality that belongs in a home. We lost Arrow while he was at work, and while his death greatly pains us all, we feel honored to be blessed by his presence, and that he respectfully passed while doing what he did best --educating & inspiring the public. Our prayers are all with Dick, and we know that his strength and Arrow's lingering love and spirit will pull him through as well.

As summer approaches and our residents begin losing their winter coats, liberating them to the heat and activity, we too are shedding our winter securities and with the assistane of a new crew of summer volunteers, are beginning to embark upon many life-changing activities to better our Sanctuary and expand our outreach goals.

Gratitude in Daily Life

2006-04-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

Giving tours at the Sanctuary is a wonderful experience to meet people from all over the nation, and sometimes from all over the world. This is one of the most rewarding aspects, and as time goes on, I realize it more and more. Through dealing with the public, our membership base, and long-time supporters, I've met so many fantastic, generous, compassionate people, from all walks of life. Often times, they are curious about me as well, mainly wondering how a person ends up working at a wolf Sanctuary in the middle of no where New Mexico.

Originally from Pennsylvania, about a year ago, I was attending school at Antioch College in Ohio, as a third year psychology major. My life's ambition for as long as I could remember was to achieve my doctorate in Experimental Psychology, and act as a research psychologist specializing in rare mental disorders. As Antioch has a co-op program, I was able to choose a job every other semester or so, and earn credit while gaining life experience. Toward the end, I wanted to go somewhere far away from the hassles of everyday life, do something totally out of my field, and spend some time studying for the GRE. Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary was one of the co-op opportunities, and this seemed like an interesting place.

My mother is a Wildlife Biologist, and while I've always loved animals, as typical, I subconciously rebelled against anything my mother was interested in. I never once considerd a career dealing with animals, especially not one that had anything to do with science. However, after spending two years of my life without so much as a dog by my side, coming to the Sanctuary and entering into enclosure for the first time rekindled a passion inside of me that for a short time was completely stifled.

To make a long story short, when I came to the Sanctuary, I planned to stay a little under three months, but when I got here, I fell in love, and, well, never left.

This is a magical place. Southern New Mexico has been a dream for my physical health, and being surrounded by dedicated people and an animal with more emotional power than one can imagine, has given me a sense of emotional freedom and peace that I had never dreamt could exist.

My time with these animals has meant more to me than any other experience in my life. To sit quietly in the enclosure of an animal who is typically so fearful of humans that the pacing never ends, and have them stop, three feet from your hand just to sniff the air the two of you share, is a reward greater than a thousand licks from different domesticated dogs. That trust, that bond, that understanding and acceptance-- It is enough to fuel one's entire self-esteem and make them feel worthy, loved, and whole -- more than anything a person, marred by the human deficiencies, could ever offer.

Sometimes, walking through the compound at night, or early in the morning, when not another human is in site or in hearing distance, I feel more at home and safe than I could with my entire family and friends around me. When the sun is just beginning to rise, the birds are chirping and the air is still-- when the sun is setting, the moon is rising, and the cool of night is beginning to rest on the earth -- and a howl, of fifty voices begins to echo through the area, so too does it echo in me. These voices, no matter how marred by human wrong-doings, have a power beyond what we can fathom changing. This is the soul of the earth, in audible form. And for that, I am thankful. And for that reason, I couldn't dream of somewhere I would rather be...

A Tribute to a Cheerful Spirit

2006-03-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

When Grey Shadow passed away a few weeks ago, my heart wrenched like it has with no other animal’s passing. His death was not expected, and for me, it was a loss of a consistently friendly face.

Grey Shadow, a low-content wolf-dog who came to the Sanctuary with his mate and son, was one of the most entertaining characters in the compound. He was full of health problems, arthritis, hypothyroid, obesity, and still expressed side effects of a previous mineral deficiency. So perhaps, his death should have been expected at any moment. However, this wonderful “tub on legs” never shown any signs of pain or discomfort, and in fact, may very well have been the happiest animal at the Sanctuary.

Care-takers were constantly greeted with as much licking as they could handle, and much scent-rolling and affection for as long as they were interested. After his initial greeting, Grey Shadow would tumble off, and often, investigate the fecal bucket his human friend had brought in, as though it was his own personal treasure chest. This particular habit, while not necessarily appealing, was one of his most endearing traits. It was a well-known fact throughout the compound that two things made Grey Shadow happy: Food, and, well, poop.

Grey Shadow had a wonderful demeanor. Each time I walked past his enclosure, he was guaranteed to stiffly push himself up from the ground, trot over and, tongue hanging limply from his mouth, greet me as I passed. He was completely content to busy himself with sun bathing, resting in the shade, slowly munching on bones and left-over breakfast, or, when a friendly bi-ped assisted, go for a short walk. Grey Shadow was easily pleased with a short walk of five-ten minutes. While he enjoyed this thoroughly, he would tire easily, and if he did make it too far from the compound, become stressed being away from home too long.

One time in particular, it was as though he suddenly realized we had made it too far. He stopped in his tracks and refused to go in any direction but back the way we had come. I desperately tried to convince him to go the shorter route back to his enclosure, as we had been going in a circle, but he was dead-set on returning the path he new to be the way home.

I suppose I must realize that Grey Shadow is in a happier place now. He’s probably much lighter, and more energetic. But I can’t help but think that for Grey Shadow, his reward in spirit is not countless meadows and forests to run through freely, but instead, a nice shady tree to lay under, an endless meaty bone, and a treasure-filled fecal bucket.

An Owner's Torment

2006-03-20T00:31:00.000-07:00

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.

Blizzard

2006-03-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Saturday, after many months of so-called winter, we had our first real snow fall. During the early part of the weekend, the winds blew, the air grew chill, and snowflakes scattered throughout the day. On Saturday, for the first time, a blizzard hit us, and Sunday morning, we woke to two feet of snow and many very frisky wolves.

While for us humans here at Wild Spirit, snow can add quite the difficulty to every day activity, it’s an evocation of energy for the animals. Sunday, as we trudged from our hogans and trailers down the hills to the compound, the howls were strong and frequent, and within each enclosure, couples were frolicking, pouncing, wrestling, and munching on snow.

When I originally woke up, spoiled by my location down front, I crept out of my bed, through the gift shop, to open the door to find three very chilly outdoor cats awaiting some warmth. Smiling, I picked one up, and accompanied by my dog, Nakita, we stomped our way to the kitchen. Every inch of the property was frosted, if not covered, with snow. As the clouds cleared in the morning, the bright sun reflected off the drifts, and on the hill side was a landscape of trees, frosted with sparkling snow. The air was cool, and as the snow crept into my boots, my ankles became chilled, but the sunlight was strong enough to keep me from shivering. As I stepped in sight of the compound, the animals began their early morning howl, which was crisp and clear in the winter air, but was quickly muted by the snow.

The snow was so deep and dense, that there was no possibility of our small staff trudging through the compound to feed. We instead, began digging out one of our trucks, from the bed of snow it had found itself in. By the tool shed, our elderly couple, Zoe and Ishi, also took part in the playfulness of the day. While their romping was greatly subdued in comparison, both Ishi and Zoe pounced in the snow, both together and alone. As the day went on, their energy seemed to lower, and Ishi and Zoe were found curled up into one snug ball, almost blending in with the snow.

We loaded up the back of the truck with loaf, our regular Sunday feeding, and while Kris and Sean stayed up front, Jill (one of our weekend volunteers) and I climbed into the back of the pickup, and road the rough ride up to the top of the compound. Nakita, upset that I was leaving her behind, scurried along behind our path, and I watched my little dog scattering over the snow surface. At the top, we all climbed out of the truck, and trudged over hills, loaf in hand, to feed all of the animals.

As I entered into Lupe and Embla’s enclosure, I immediately fell head first into the snow, only to open my eyes to two very curious wolf-dogs. Lupe, recognizing his caretaker, no matter how ungraceful, gave me a quick lick on the cheek and then pranced off to continue his snow-play. I looked down at my poorly formed snow-angel, and hoisted myself up to exit and continue feeding.

When we were finished caring for the compound, we all returned to our volunteer kitchen, heating our soaking-wet clothing and numb fingers by the one propane heater, and chattering light-heartedly about the snow. As I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down by the window, Nakona, our nearest neighbor, jumped onto the top of her house, shook her body, scattering snow-flakes, and began a strong, piercing howl. Quickly, she was joined by her fellow compound residents, and a loud chorus of wolves began mingling with the noisy-quiet of snow.

The rest of the day was a quiet one. There were obviously no tours, as our road was completely closed. There was little to be done outside with so much snow in our way. And as I listened to the chatter of staff members around me, and the vocalizations of our wolf-residents, I smiled, enjoying winter more than ever before.

Winter Awakening

2006-03-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

“And suddenly I am awakened—not from a nocturnal sleep, nor a blurred daydream—but from a life, an existence. Only a moment ago, my fingers were numb and throbbing, the blood rushing to them in an attempt to regulate heat. My hair, a tangle of fire, blazing in the wind, my cheeks, chapped with chill, and my body, shivering in the blizzard. But suddenly, there is quiet in the storm, and I find my self sitting calmly in a drift of snow, warm, and for perhaps the first time, truly awake. There is no other human here, but for some reason, I feel less lonely than ever before. There is no sign of the storm settling, nor is there shelter in sight, but for once, I feel truly safe. There has been no climactic event, nor have I learned any important lesson, but here I am, opening my eyes, and feeling a total sense of well-being fill my whole.

As I close my eyes, in an attempt to save this scene forever in my mind, a single howl begins a chorus of fifty wolves that will carry through the mountains, and then become absorbed in the snow as quickly as it began.”

Beyond the Obvious Epidemic

2006-03-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

Today, Jim and I met up with Jan, Dick, and Rebecca for our most recent outreach event at the grand re-opening of Petco. While Raven was a little too tired from the week's excitement to attend, Aylah and Arrow were their normal pleasant ambassador selves, and we also brought one of our sanctuary animals, Kaisa.

Kaisa is an extremely low-content wolf-dog who has spent almost her entire life at our sanctuary. After her and her littermates were born to two animals rescued from a horrible puppy-mill atmosphere, Kaisa and her brother Kireon were brought to the sanctuary and placed with an animal named Dancer. Fairly early in his life, Kireon left us, and Kaisa grew to be Dancer's mate. For the first several years, they lived happily together, and Kaisa developed into a very social, sweet girl, who loves attention. When Dancer passed away, Kaisa was left to her enclosure by herself.

Kaisa loves people, attention, and going for walks. She's very submissive to human-caretakers, and can even become shy when someone leans over her or she feels overwhelmed. She is very well-behaved on a leash, knows how to sit on command, and does not dig, climb, jump or act destructive in the slightest. Size-wise, she probably weighs roughly 60 pounds. She has beautiful almond eyes, petite features (including feet) and an adorable fluffly tail that curls slightly at the bottom. This is not a wolf-dog, and not an animal that belongs at our Sanctuary. While Kaisa has a good home here, it is not as good as she deserves. She deserves a big back yard, the size of her current enclosure, but one that is attached to a home with a family that loves her, walks her, and offers her all of the attention she could desire. She deserves the life of a normal, domestic dog. Instead of re-mating her, she has become the only animal up for adoption from the Sanctuary in many years.

Kaisa had never been indoors until last night. As we coaxed her into Jim's mother's house, she was so fearful of the new atmosphere, she dropped to the carpet and began crawling on her belly throughout the room, as though trying to find safety in being grounded. As we took her to the back porch and I sat with her, she moaned slightly, and my heart began to break in a new way for these animals.

While wolves and wolf-dogs of any content-level are terrible pets, there are some animals that are so low-content, that no wolf behavior surfaces at all. However, these animals are bred over and over again in the US, sold to buyers who are interested in owning a wolf, and then treated with the same bias that has been placed on wolves by the general population. There is such a strong surge of ego that arises in humans--particuarly Americans--to own an exotic pet, a "dangerous" guard dog, or a "spiritual-being," that wolf-dog ownership has become an epidemic. The obvious problem with this is the maturation of an animal that was never meant to be a pet. These animals are then abused, abandoned, and/or euthanized, and only a lucky few find themselves in Sanctuaries like ours. The not-so-obvious problem with this, is that sometimes, the urge and dream of these people overcomes the animal's true nature.

Each day working in administration, I receive 1-7 phone calls from people wanting to place a wolf-dog that is otherwise going to be euthanized. Most of the time, 5 of these are animals that probably have no more wolf in them than your average miniature dauchsund, or so much dog in them that they should never have been titled a "wolf-dog." I've received pictures of mixed-labradors, collies, huskeys, malamutes, german shepherds, and even Irish Wolfhounds--all animals that have virtually no (if any) wolf in them at all, that are awaiting euthanasia because someone went around calling them a wolf-dog. Sometimes it is because a normal dog behavior that could've been modified, is automatically considered to be a wolf-problem---a new scapegoat for irresponsible owners. "My wolf-dog tore up my couch!" And I can't help but think, "So did the terrier-beagle mix I had growing up."

I wanted to reach through the phone and strangle a woman from the Humane Society in Texas, recently. She had called 48 hours prior to the euthanasia of an animal they were calling a wolf-dog. I asked her to send us some pictures through email. When I received the pictures, I looked at a white dog with black spots, pointed ears with no fur, a pink nose, tiny feet, a curled wagging tail, and a coat that in the dead of winter was one-coat of thin, short fur. When questioned about the animals behavior, the woman explained that he loved people of all ages, walked well on a leash, and liked all other dogs, however he could be "very food aggressive if you try to take his food away." This was a dog. A pure dog. Perhaps one hair on the tip of his wagging tail was wolf. I asked the woman how they knew it was a wolf-dog. She said that one of the shelter people said she was, and wasn't it obvious? I told her that I, and the rest of the staff, were 99% positive that the animal had no wolf in him at all and that they should find him a good home like any other animal. She told me that his paperwork already said "wolf-dog," and that there was no turning back. This animal either had to go to a wolf Sanctuary or be euthanized.

As I sat with Kaisa, I thought of her and the few other animals we have at our Sanctuary like her. There is Greebo and Hooter, animals labled with wolf who's only indiscretion was getting too playful with a neighbor's cat. Meea, a pure dog who was sold as a wolf-dog and then found to be illegal in the state she was taken to. Artemesia, who, as a puppy "looked very wolfy." These animals have no business being at our Sanctuary. They belong in a home, just like any dog. But if they hadn't come to us when they did, they would've been euthanized.

As Kaisa crawled across the floor, my heart broke. Here is an animal who could be living the happy, social life of any dog, with a family, who has had to spend her life in a sanctuary that should be housing wolves, and because of this, she has never learned to live a normal life. Kaisa should not be crawling on her belly indoors, she should be quickly jumping off of the couch, so as not to be caught by her owners as they open the door. She should be curled up in front of a TV with a couple of kids. She should be chasing the house-cat through the kitchen. She should be sleeping at the foot of someone's bed.

With time and the encouragment of a loving owner, I'm sure that Kaisa will adjust to life as a "normal" dog. However, she will never escape the haunting title of "wolf" placed on her many years ago. If an official wanted to take her away and euthanize her, he could use the claim that he rabies vaccination hasn't been proven effective in wolf-dogs. If Kaisa were put into a situation--cornered, threatened, beaten, and she snapped in fear, leaving so much as a scratch on a person--she would have to be euthanized. If her new home for some reason left her at the humane society or some other shelter, she could not be re-adopted, she would have to be euthanized as well.

In the past year or so, Wild Spirit has decided to only accept high-content wolf-dogs and pure wolves. Low to mid-content animals can sometimes be placed in other rescues or in special circumstances, in a home. We are one of the few facilities in the nation capable of the care of a high-content or pure wolf. In the past, when there was space, any animal was accepted, and thus, animals like Kaisa, were brought to spend their life somewhere they don't belong. While we are opening our door to animals that have no where else to go, and choosing not to accept animals who would be better off somewhere else, there is no end to the ego that forces pure dogs and practically pure dogs into euthanasia. Thousands upon thousands of wolf-dogs are euthanized in the US alone every year... One has to wonder how many of these are actually dogs, stricken with a bias that should never have entered into their lives...

Kaisa, I am confident will find a good, loving home, where her new owners are understanding of these issues... Thousands of others will not. The wolf-dog epidemic goes beyond the obvious... but whether it be dogs given a death sentence because of bias, or wolves and wolf-dogs given a death-sentence because of ignorant ownership, ego, a lack of education, and irresponsibility are murdering thousands of animals every year... And while the tears I cried today are of a new pain, they are not tears that will stop anytime soon.

Raven

2006-03-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to go to Aztec with Leyton and Raven for an educational program. Raven, a black-phase timber wolf, is one of the best-known wolves in America, as he has been a miraculous outreach animal. Out of all of the events he does, his favorite definitely appears to be children's educational programs. Once in the classroom today, Raven immediately attempted to greet everyone in the room. Always saving this for last, Leyton asked him to wait, and Raven patiently laid on the ground as Leyton taught the children about wolves. When asked to, Raven would stand to display physical characteristics, and then, proceed to lay back down to rest. At the end of the presentation, the children all gathered in a circle, and Raven was at last able to greet each and everyone of them with sniffs, and kisses, and rubs, and even some gentle tug on clothing. The class also participated in a wolf howl, which Raven kindly joined in.

Raven is a truly amazing animal. His patience is remarkable only under his majestic appearance. This large animal, with an impressive appearance, is equally as miraculous in his disposition. With one look into his stunnning eyes, the spirit of the wolf is felt, and with one lick of his gentle tongue, the fear is dismissed. Out of the hundres of animals we have met, Raven is the only one who has been able to consistently do the things he does. In his publicity, he has touched the hearts--and perhaps more importantly--the minds of thousands if not millions of people. I've had the chance to work with Raven at several outreach events, but this was the first time I was able to attend one of his school presentations.

The impact of a wolf walking into a classroom is remarkable. At first, children seem to be semi-nervous, or as though Raven is just a big dog. When his interaction is seen, the fear subsides, and throughout the presentation, children learn how Raven is different from a dog. One of the hardest balances to meet with children, especially when they are younger, is that between educating them that wolves are not the big-bad creatures displayed in stories like Little Red Riding Hood, but at the same time, they are not meant to be pets... Raven, in all his wisdom, is a perfect spokesmen for these two things. His gentle nature is apparent to all of those who have the chance to interact with him. However, his interaction with Leyton can be prompted to show the wild instinct and nature of a wolf. Yet still, Raven can be misleading. One of the points that must be pummeled into people's heads is that Raven is not a normal wolf. Normal wolves are scared to death of people and not nearly as patient with our mistakes in body language.

Without Raven, our educational outreach program could never be what it is. Raven, for whatever reason, seems to have realized that this is his job in life. He acts as an ambassador for all of his kind, and with great pride, he teaches thousands of people all about his kin.

2006-02-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

Last evening, Loki passed away. This was not a surprise by any means, as he has been on his way out for over a week now.

Early last week, Loki stopped eating and became extremely lethargic. He ceased coming to the fence for his med-ball, his interaction with Zoe became minimal, and normally a skittish animal, he showed no response to caretakers in his enclosure. As we watched him, slowly starving himself and fading away, the idea of euthanasia came up and became quickly dismissed.

While euthanasia is always a difficult idea, when dealing with captive-bred wolves, it can become increasingly difficult. A wolf in the wild generally has a life span of only 6-8 years. This can be because of the stress of hunting, roaming and living in situations that are not always perfect. Also, in the wild, if an animal begins to show weakness whether because of age, sickness or injury, they are immediately ousted from the pack.

In captivity, our animals are provided with food, deal with only one mate, and are provided with veterinary care and vitamin supplements. We have animals that have lived beyond 17 years of age, more than half the natural life-span for a wolf.

When one begins to think about how unnatural this is, questions of ethics and morality are forced. Are we doing what is best for the animal in prolonging a life that is naturally meant to be less than half of the current lifespan? Further, by prolonging life of the animal at all, is this truly the most humane when dealing with an animal that is truly supposed to be in the wild? Is this prolonging of life merely prolonging imprisonment? Would being euthanized in a regular dog pound be a better choice so that the animal could become free, at least in spirit?

But we have decided to allow these animals to live their lives out in our sanctuary. And by doing so, we have accepted certain responsibilities. We have in some ways, accepted the responsibility of the pack. As other pack members do, we provide food, companionship, and safety to our residents. When an animal reaches a point where the quality of life is beyond redeemable, should we too accept the responsibility of the pack to end the suffering? Is euthanasia the closest method to mirroring the ousting of a weak member from a pack? Or is our place meant to be to leave the animal to die of its own--no matter how lenghthy and gruesome of a process this may be? Is it more "natural" to let the animal go without assistance? Can anything be considered "natural" when a wild animal is forced to live his/her life out behind chain-link?

As Loki began to pass away before our eyes, I found myself compelled to sit in his enclosure frequently. I did not pet him or attempt to offer comfort. Loki has never been a social animal, and while as Amarock passed, I attempted to offer her with the comfort of soothing pets and silent companionship, I simply offered Loki my presence from a distance. As I sat there throughout the days, I went from feeling sheer pity at his suffering, to accepting his path, to feeling anger at his life... From one end, my relationships with domestic dogs began to take precedence. I looked at Loki as a companion animal, a member of the family, passing to another world and leaving a family behind. However, with time, I began to realize in myself that this is a totally different world... Loki did not lead a life like a domestic dog. He was not part of a human family. My anger began to rise as the moral dilemma of prolonging imprisonment surfaced in me.

Life at the Sanctuary is often culminated with death. Only in Isis's death did I feel her presence the way that those had grown with her felt. As Amarock passed, my heart ached at the loss of a social animal but rejoiced that she no longer had to drag her hips behind her and trip over her own legs. As Loki passed away, he brought more issues to the surface of my mind...

Dealing with captive wolves, even while understanding the major differences, can easily allow one to fall in the emotional mindset of domestic dogs. The differences go beyond simple precaudal glands and rounded ears verses pointed ears, and even beyond acts of ritual domination... There is an entirely different moral code. When we as rescuers take on the responsibility of their care, we must also take on the responsibility of the pack and of nature... Something that remains out of our grasp...

Voice of the Wild

2006-02-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

Voice of the Wild

Walking into Broader Horizons

2006-02-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

Last week, two of our animals went for their first walks in years. Since I came to the sanctuary, as with most new volunteers, I've fallen in love with Amadeus. He's a lovable guy who's especially affectionate with females. His two penmates, Shauney and Wapahnee, are very low-content, low-maitenence girls who love to go for walks. Amadeus, on the other hand, up until recently, was scared to death of collars.

This fear is two fold. In Amadeus's original home, instead of giving him a collar, they simply wrapped part of the three foot chain around his neck. As he grew larger, it became embedded in his skin and had to be surgically removed when he was rescued. Also, Amadeus has a tendency toward ear infections. In his original time at the sanctuary, the only time he went for walks was when they led to transport to the vet. These two situations have caused him to be very shy toward collars.

For weeks, I tried to get Amadeus accustomed to various collars as well as attempting a harness. Other volunteers and staffmembers also attempted this process, however, to no avail. Eventually, when it came time to move the Seal Beach pack (as the threesome has come to be known) we had to use more forceful methods.

Gary and myself, along with the assistance of our two volunteers, James and Hallie, ended up cornering Amadeus to put the collar on. As expected, Amadeus was nervous and fearful. As Gary tried to put the collar on, Amadeus snapped and growled and cowered into my arms. As eh became completely submissive, I was able to easily slip the collar around his neck. As we led Amadeus outside of the enclosure, he was at first nervous. Once outside, however, it was though he realized, "Hey, this is okay!" The rest of Amadeus's walk was an adventure for him, and since then, this wonderful guy has been on four other walks, each becoming progressively easier and more enjoyable...

Gaia, another low-content animal, had never been on a leash before. Previous attempts had been made, however, she always became too frightened. Recently, after Gary made an attempt, I was able to walk right in, and as she rolled onto her back submissively, slip the collar over her head. Once on the leash, Gaia became nervous and didn't know what to do. We took two steps out of the enclosure, and then she decided to go back in. After walking around inside some more, we tried leaving again, and this time, Gaia became braver, and we suceeded in going for a walk, followed later in the week by two more.

Leyton's response when we brought Gaia to the office was classic. "Gaia? Oh Gaia!" Followed by much love and affection.

I can't express how fulfilling it is to make these advancements in the life of an animal here. When an animal puts their trust in you, allows you to do something to them that frightens them, and they then realize that it is for their sake, you cannot help but swell with pride and more love for them. Walking Amadeus had always been a dream for me. Those first few steps out of the enclosure made me feel as though, if for no other reason, my time here and the relationships i've built with these animals have been worth it.

Five Year Review of the Mexican Gray Wolf Reintroduction Program

2006-02-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

Death by Opinion
A Five Year Review

Angel Bennett & Gary Fuller

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Five Year Review of the Mexican Gray Wolf Reintroduction Program. Located in Silver City, NM, this conference brought together four distinct groups of people representing four distinct opinions of the wolf reintroduction program currently underway in Arizona and New Mexico. While the majority of attendees were pro-wolf, local ranchers also attended, expressing live-stock concerns and their discontent with the reintroduction efforts. Even those of the pro-wolf advocate group varied between professionals and common lay-men. Also, a group came simply seeking understanding of the Mexican Gray Wolf, its problems, and reintroduction. The last group, represented by the reintroduction committee, was there to explain the reintroduction process and its progress over the last five years. In many ways, this conference was a microcosm of the effects opinion will have on the fate of wolves world-wide. My objective for attending the review was not to assist in charting the future of this program, but to observe the process. My job as Assistant Director of one of the nation’s top wolf and high-content wolf-dog sanctuaries, has given me a different, yet hopefully unbiased opinion. From this prospective I listened and observed the factors and comments that will eventually save or destroy the Gray Wolf population that remains today.
Concerned ranchers, representing a minority, were generally well mannered, yet made statements at times that were beyond the realm of plausibility. A claim by one rancher that a pack containing five Mexican Grays, including two yearlings, was enlarge responsible for 1,300 deaths in his cattle herd, was unquestionably unreasonable. Another seemed to blame the drop of 20% in his calving rate solely on the Mexican Grays located in his area. One rancher claimed that his business suffered such radical losses due to the reintroduction of a wolf pack in his area that his “dude ranch” had to be shut down. While these three examples were quite extreme, others were very well founded. In an area of the United States where cattle production is an important segment of the economy those realistic concerns expressed must also be addressed if the program is to be successful.
By far the largest opinion group at the review was the Pro-Wolf group. In this group there were two distinct sub groups represented. Representatives of the national organizations, like Defenders of Wildlife, The Center for Biodiversity and other local wolf organizations, all brought their agendas to the meeting. Most of the presentations were very broad-based and illustrated their concerns for future reintroductions as well as a critique of past performance by the committee. While blatantly agreeing that the reintroduction program was accounting for the decline in the Mexican Gray Wolf population, contradictory cries of “Release them all!” were expressed by the same organizations. While again some areas of concern were quite well founded, there were misinformed and sometime contradictory extremists that offset the voices of legitimate concern.
The second sub-group was comprised of common citizens expressing their desires for successful reintroduction. These people represented about half of the total group, yet consistently spoke on platforms of misinformation. While this segment of the pro-wolfers could carry the greatest impact, their erroneous concerns and unreasonable requests no doubt greatly reduced this effect. It was not from lack of dedication, yet more from a lack of credible information and understanding of the true process required that many of the voices were muted. We must all take an active roll in formulation of a successful program, but to be a benefit to this program, we must first educate ourselves and understand the obstacles we must overcome.
Thankfully, there were those at the review that attended just for the purpose of educating themselves. Without current opinion, they attended to become informed. Coming from all walks--ranchers to shop owners--they came to understand, with the cry from the Earth each time another animal slips into extinction their only common bond. They were willing to cooperate if they only knew how. They were willing to support, just unsure who or what. Concerned citizens of all types were willing to learn. They came there thirsty, but found no fountain to drink from. With a swirling of misinformed opinions, stifling the little factual information provided by the Reintroduction Board, those who came to learn were given little opportunity.
Representing the Reintroduction Program and its convening authority, a five member panel also formed the last group in attendance. This panel had the responsibility to disseminate the information of the reintroduction process gathered over the past five years. Among the positions filled by the committee, one was obviously that of mediator for peace talks when no one wants to talk peace. Included in this agenda was an overview of the future revision of the current program, both in 2006 and long term. This was well presented and very factual. A complete copy of the five year report was made available to all in attendance and is currently available to the public upon request. A moratorium on releases was to take effect when the breeding population grew above six breeding pair. This was not accomplished last year, with only five breeding pairs counted. The current population of 35 wolves remains too distant from the total population targets of 100 wolves to allow this figure to be presently considered.
To date, branches involved in the reintroduction of the Mexican Gray Wolf have spent a total of over 14 million dollars toward this end. The results of these expenditures and combined efforts regrettably show a reduction in the wild wolf population over the Blue Range area. While opinion would point to as many causes as opinions polled, the results remain the same: We have found no profound answers to successful reintroduction and the road to extinction is being paved by good intention.
While the committee attempts to act on the basis of sound scientific analogy, their very existence was developed from overwhelming public opinion. It can be said that public opinion remains the single greatest motivating force today. Whether this force assists in the development of the program or hinders its success remains a question. With sadness, my observations have shown me that this field of opinion has been far off balanced by extreme views on both sides. The disruptions of extremists in forum not only reduce the impact legitimate input could have but also add nothing more than confusion to those people attending with a desire to learn more. With a greater number of pro-wolf supporters gathering at these meetings, shear numbers become a motivating force of their own. While the reintroduction program is not a government attempt to grease the squeaky wheel, public pressure does shape its policies.
Even with wolves out of bounds being responsible for a high percentage of illegal takes as well as considered the greatest failure of the program, the program still seeks to place pack territory as close as 3 miles of occupied dwellings and five miles from towns. This situation forces the wolves’ interaction with humans and prompts concerns from people on the boundaries of these territories. In an effort to establish areas acceptable for reintroduction, it is not the needs of the wolf but the availability of land that continues to dictate these sites. Sadly, wolves don’t read maps and out of bounders will remain a great failure. As we force these animals into confrontation with man, we continue to watch their numbers dwindle.
We seek to save a vanishing species, yet our enthusiasm to do so appears to be accelerating it to its extinction. We expect an animal such as the Mexican Gray Wolf to behave in a way dictated by public rules and laws. Even if they were to conform, would we still have the animal we sought to preserve in the beginning? The process of formulating a program of successful reintroduction cannot continue on a trial and error basis if the Gray wolf is to survive in the wild. We must consider the wolf’s terms in this process and conform to its needs or consider the possible failure of this multi-million dollar experiment in behavior modification.

Isis-A Constant Reminder of a Wild Spirit

2006-01-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, Isis passed away. As one of our founding animals, Isis has been a staple of the Sanctuary for many years. At almost 18 years old, she has surpassed the normal life span of a wolf-dog by many, many years. Her spunk and feistiness was with her to the end.

Only a year ago, Isis displayed herself as the only animal at the Sanctuary to ever tair through a capture net. While normally easily leashed and walked, when Isis realized an examination was in order, her stubborness came out, and she made it perfectly clear she was not going easily. With the only answer being netting, Isis proved us incapable of stifling her nature once again. Her wild spirit may have been tamed by domestication enough to keep her in captivity, but it was never dulled enough that she became accepting of our human ideas. Isis was a constant reminder to everyone at the Sanctuary, visitors, friends, volunteers and staff members, that a wild animal can not be tamed, not even with time and age.

As Isis aged and became physically defeated, her mate, Napi, became more food aggressive. A couple of months ago, he began to eat her food as well as his own. Seeing this, caretakers, knowing Napi is people-shy, would stand over Isis's food to protect her as she ate. Although previously Napi had come up to me for attention on a regular basis, after only one day of standing guard over Isis, he made it perfectly clear that he was upset with me. It was as if he was saying, "Come on, I've waited all these years for just a piece of control, and now you come in and take it away?" After only a few days of guarded eating, Isis was rejuvenated and returned to her alpha position, eating in peace without disturbances from Napi, after re-establishing her dominance. Honestly, I believe this event is what gave Isis her last good weeks... Living as a dominant animal, full of spunk and filled with pride, when this position was taken away, it left Isis without herself. When she was reestablished, it seemed that her inner-spirit was replenished and she was given life again.

Toward the end, we all became sorrowfully aware that Isis's spice was all that was keeping her alive as her health depleted and body began to cause her more and more pain. It seemed that her relationship with Napi was all that was keeping her, and the life that she was giving herself because of this was not fulfilling. We moved Napi next door with Shunka, allowing Isis to leave us in peace. We all took some time to discuss things with Isis. And each of us in our own way told her that it was okay to let go now. Two days after Napi's move, after much pampering and attention, Isis passed away peacefully in the night.

Canine deaths are not always a pretty sight. In my work at other shelters, with my own animals, and my experiences I've seen here, I've seen that the last moments of an animal's life can often leave them with aneurysms, convulsions, or other not-so-pleasant side effects. Isis was found with a peaceful smile on her face.. As though she simply laid down, let one breath out and said goodbye, completely sure of herself, and her time being well spent.

There are many, many stories that Isis has left behind, filled with the passion and wild spirit that these animals cannot help but express. Although we have all shed tears at her loss, one thing is always true when one of our animals pass away: Only in death can these animals, forced into captivity, let their wild spirits roam freely.

Cheyenne the Movie Star Part I

2006-01-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday afternoon, I received a phone call from Bill Swartz, a locations manager for movies. Bill was frantically trying to get ahold of us to see if we had any wolves that would be able to play a part in a movie. It seems as though while filming for "The Flock," (starring Richard Gere and Claire Danes), the group of movie-trained Canadian wolves scheduled to shoot, had backed out of their last end of the deal. Catching wind of our Sanctuary from locals i Albuquerque, Bill had called to see if we were interested.

Due to previous filming, only a certain color of wolf would do. The only of our animals that fit the part and is leashable, was little miss Cheyenne. Cheyenne, our youngest resident, is an energy-filled little girl who loves people... almost too much! While we have constantly toiled with the idea of making her an ambassador animal, Cheyenne has always seemed just a little too high-strung. She loves to pounce people, play-bite, and generally, destroy any items brough near her. However, after sending the pictures of her to Bill and receiving enormous amounts of encouragement, we decided to try out miss Cheyenne.

The next day, at 4:30 in the morning, there we were, Leyton, myself, and Gary, waking the compound and sneaking into Cheyenne and Raven's enclosure to get a harness on Cheyenne. With all the excitement, Cheyenne took Gary for quite a run to the van, and with some coaxing, we had Cheyenne loaded up, and Leyton, myself, and our soon-to-be movie wolf hit the road to Albuquerque.

Within moments, Cheyenne had begun destroying the van. Within the first half hour of the trip, the air-conditioning had been ruined. But, when you're transporting a wolf, this is something to be expected... While we attempted to discourage such destruction, Cheyenne was too busy having the time of her life with her new "chew-toy" to be dissuaded.

Upon arrival and after breakfast, Cheyenne made her grand entrance in the base camp. Here, we were warmly greeted by Tony, the stunt coordinator, Bill, the director (Andrew Lowe--I believe), one of the producers, and many of the other actors/crew members. She was definitely the center of attention.

She did fantastic, right from the start. It seems that while still interested in people, the large groups and busyness of the city were intimidating enough that Cheyenne was slightly sedated and not nearly as rambunctious as expected.

While we were unable to film the first day, she did the whole meet and greet, destroyed the make-shift enclosure they had built her, and enjoyed being the center of attention.

Jan, one of our board members, also came along to assist, and throughout the day, the three of us took shifts in the enclosure with Cheyenne. Although she was missing her companion animal, she got three to make up for it!

That night, although the movie had paid for hotel rooms for Leyton and myself, Leyton was so nervous about leaving Cheyenne alone, he ended up returning to stay with her for most of the night.

While Cheyenne ended up making it through her first day/night of being a movie star just fine, her human companions ended up all lacking sleep, exhausted, and still semi-nervous about their little girl.

Manu

2006-01-10T22:54:00.000-07:00

Manu,
originally uploaded by Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Wolves.

Currently, Manu is suffering from the lacking of Sequoia. Time will tell how returning Sequoia to the containment area will effect the two of them.

Endless Suffering and the Recollection of Scarring

2006-01-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

Sequoia had 7 of her 10 stitches out today. Apparently by the time she was finished with the 7, she decided that she had had enough for the day. We'll remove the last three tomorrow, and then, move her into the containment facility in her old enclosure.

Manu has not been doing well at all without her. His past has made him into an extremely unstable animal and now, without Sequoia, he seems to spend much of his day wandering around aimlessly and looking very confused. He also has become exceptionally testy with his care-taker, Gary.

We're semi-nervous about moving Sequoia to the containment area. While currently we believe it would be better for both of them to have some company, there is the possobility that it will make Sequoia too active as well as cause further stress to Manu. However, right now we believe this to be the best solution and it will only take time to find out if we are correct.

Watching Manu the last few days has sparked a new hurt and anger inside of me. While I grow furious each time I repeat his story to a tour, watching the long-term effects causes much more inner fury. Manu was originally bought by a young couple who thought it would be "cool" to own a wolf-dog. For the first two years of his life, he was loved. However, as he matured, they decided they no longer wanted to deal with him and so locked him in a 3x5 shed where he was pretty much left to die. By the time he was found, Manu was severely malnourished, his muscles atrophied, and his body covered in infections where he had chewed on his own skin attempting to gain nourishment by eating his own fur off of his body. Because of the severity of his neglect, Manu has suffered long-term brain-damage and will never be a normal animal.

Without Sequoia, Manu's one comfort and stability is missing. He wanders through his enclosure as though having no sense of balance. He refuses to come to the fence to receive his daily medication and food from his caretaker. He shows signs of increased agression.

While a normal animal would show some amount of discomfort at the loss of a mate, Manu is a special case. His entire world has been turned upside down once again, and the only other creature he has been able to consistently count on is missing.

One has a hard time beleiving that humans could be so cruel. Could neglect an animal to the point where he loses pigmentation in his eyes, and can no longer even lift his head from the pavement... To listen to his cries and whimpers from a shed in their backyard and completely ignore the pleas for help...

But Manu is not the only case of abuse here. All of our animals have been rescued from abuse and abandonment. People jump into the "owning" of a wolf-dog, only to find themselves overwhelmed with the complexities they did not make themeselves aware of prior to purchase. When the animal expresses the wild nature that is bound to take form, they turn to abuse to discipline the animal, or abandon the animal. In the good cases, there is an endless search for someone to rescue the owner from their new found problem... But even here, the animal is suffering.

This is why we exist. This is why our mission is to educate the public against wolf-dog breeding and ownership. While there are some responsible owners out there, they are still adding to the epidemic when they purchase a wolf-dog. If there were no buyers, there would be no breeders. And only in that case could an end be put to the 100,000's of euthanizations per year in the US alone.

Manu is a constant reminder of the suffering these animals face. Constantly we see the never-ending aftermath. And perhaps, if nothing else, this is these animals gift to us. A reminder, a rekindling of passion, a surge of emotions that help us to hold strength in our quest.

New Volunteer Initiation: Meat Separation and Loaf

2006-01-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Our new volunteers had their real initiation today and yesterday: Meat Separation and Loaf. These two things are always the real test as to a volunteer's longevity.

Imagine if you will, 8 trash cans full of various ungualte left-overs, including inedible parts such as eyes, skulls, traumatized flesh, and parts still with fur. Volunteers and staff diligently squat on tarps outside, digging through these items, separating bones from meat and edible from inedible. After the meat has been separated, the non-bones are then packaged into forming trays and then carried to the freezer. Bones are relocated for future feedings, and waste is loaded into a van and driven to "The Pit."

The Pit is an experience all of its own. Here, an enormous hole previously dug by other diligent voluteers, is now the dumping ground for all bio-degradable waste including inedible meat donations, and animal fecal matter.

The entire process is horrific to some. But those of us who make it through do so knowing that meat separation is both a necessity and a blessing.

Obviously wolves are not vegetarian by nature, and in fact, can only survive by a carnivorous diet. We understand that no matter how disgusting the process may be, it is necessary to keep our animals happy and healthy. Also, though purchased meat can be much less time-consuming and, well, less disgusting, the generosity of Green Valley meat and other donators is tremendous. In the Summer, when we are not blessed with such donations, the Sanctuary must purchase chicken quarters from Walmart. Feeding 60 animals 4 pounds of chicken 5 days a week is not a small expense. Winter especially can be a slim time of year for donations/tours, and so, without the donations of meat and the tireless efforts of meat separation, we would not be able to provide for the animals as well as we are able.

Loaf, not quite as graffic, is still quite the process. Loaf is prepared each Thursday by animal-care volunteers, frozen, and then served to the residents each Sunday. The process begins with two large tubs filled with 45 pounds of raw hamburger each. Rice, green beans, carrots, garlic, barley, oats, and a ton of various supplements such as Diatamaceous Earth, Amino Acids, and our own blend of Nutritional Powder, along with many other "secret" ingredients, are then added to the mix. This thick, dense and sometimes smelly mixture is then constantly neaded by volunteers for the next 20-45 minutes until completely blended. After this, loaves are made and weighed, then assembly-line-style carried to the freezer to be prepared for Sunday.

Loaf is something that has been created here at the sanctuary and since, Nutritionist approved. 100's of wolves can't be wrong. With our animals being in the controlled circumstances of captivity, they end up living much longer, (up to ten years longer) than they would in the wild. As they age, it is important for them to receive vitamins and supplements to keep them healthy. Loaf has become our way of doing this. In the future, when monetary funds provide proper equipment, we hope to be able to market this product as high-end large dog food.

Hallie and James both survived their initiation, and didn't even seem to flinch at the process. They too understand the importance, and just like the committed volunteers we expect, they have held through their first few days of animal care.

Winding Roads and Howling Greetings

2006-01-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

Today I went into Albuquerque to pick up two new volunteers, Hallie and James. These two 20-somethings are both students at the University of Bennington, in Vermont, where they are studying biology.

Sometimes I wonder what a new volunteer thinks as they are first introduced to their "taxi-driver" and the Sanctuary. Imagine leaving the baggage claim to hop into a dust-coated camry, driven by a tangled-haired, meat-separation-stained- jeans-wearing, wolf-caretaker. As the sun sets, you watch as you leave Albuquerque, and civilization, behind. An hour into the trip, as city lights completely fade out of existence, and the road beings to climb higher and higher into the mountains, all scenery becomes dark except for the dusty road ahead and the star splattered sky. Surely we must be there soon... As time goes on, and we pass through the small complex known as Mountainview, you wonder if this is where we are going, but no, your newly appointed escort keeps driving, driving, driving until finally you hit a dirt road. Eight or so miles down this road, you pull into a gravel parking lot and are greeted by the sound of 50+ wolves howling. You're driven to your new residence, perhaps known as "The Dome," or "The Black Box," or "Hogan #2." Back up in the dirt roads of the sanctuary, you're taught at 12 at night how to build a fire to keep warm, shown where the nearest outhouse is, and then, instructed to "follow the wolves" down the path to the kitchen for the meeting the next morning "and don't stick your fingers through the fence."

As I left James and Hallie this evening, I couldn't help but smile to myself remembering my first day at the Santuary back in May, and the feelings and thoughts I was overcome with. As soon as one hears their first howl, it is certain that he or she will become filled with a certain passion, joy and change of spirit. However, at the same time, the brutal reality is also setting in: You are an hour and a half from the nearest Walmart. The nearest place to buy a box of Cheerio's is a 20-minute drive. To go out for dinner, at least 40 minutes. To make a phone call from a cell phone... if you're lucky, an hour. To keep warm through the night, you now have to constantly check that your fire is burning properly. You might as well be lost to the stone ages, in this world.

And so, while the rewards of volunteering at a rescue facility for wolves are never ending, it does take a special, strong-willed individual to "hack it" here, especially in the winter. There are so many new things to learn, animals to meet, and changes to adjust to, all while you have lost almost all contact with the "real world." Even some of the best volunteers haven't made it through their expected time periods. However, there are some of us, myself included, who at one point referred to ourselves as city-slackers, media- fiends, and social-butterflies, that later realize that this is where we belong.

Time will only tell with James and Hallie, and I'm interested to see how they do, as well as how their impressions of the Santuary change as they adapt. Somehow, after that first interaction with an animal, everything normally turns out to be okay.

--Angel

Sequoia

2006-01-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult things to deal with as an animal caretaker at the Sanctuary is watching a sick or injured animal deal with pain. While with our older residents, we expect some deterioration of health and are always cautiously observing, sometimes younger, healthier animals shock us with health problems. Sasquatch for example, appeared in all aspects to be as young and healthy as ever until he began to limp. When we received the doctor's diagnosis and learned Sasquatch had developed bone cancer, we were shocked to say the least. Perhaps one of the most important things to remember working with these animals, is that in the wild, showing weakness can be a death sentence. If a member of the pack begins to show signs of injury or sickness, they are then seen as a weakness and sometimes detrimental to the pack.

Recently, our young, frisky Sequoia shocked us as well. A few weeks ago, we noticed Sequoia had begun limping. For the following week or so, she was observed carefully as well as thoroughly examined by Leyton, our Director, and Gary, our Animal Care Specialist. While they palpated the leg, cautiously observed, and thoroughly examined Sequoia daily, it seemed as though nothing was wrong. It was believed that it may simply be a pad bruise, and that it would go away on it's own. However, Sequoia's limping did not relent and concerned, we made an appointment and took Sequoia for a vet visit.

After being examined, we were told that Sequoia had an ACL injury and was going to need an operation. Sequoia's surgery went smoothly, and it is expected that she will be fine. However, in order for her to heal properly, she must be kept mostly immobile for six to eight weeks. Telling a wolf-dog that she can't move for a long period of time, is not an easy task. Especially with Sequoia, who is normally very young and energetic, as time goes on this is going to prove even more difficult.

Currently Sequoia is in a small isolation enclosure we set up directly outside the office. A low-content animal, Sequoia is extremely social, and each time someone so much as looks in her direction, her tail begins wagging and she begins whimpering softly. While we all know how important it is for her to heal properly, it's constantly heart-breaking to walk past and not be able to return her to the large enclosure she is used to running in freely.

For Sequoia, this must be a very confusing time. How do you explain to a wolf-dog that she has an old football injury which requires so much time to heal? The sad look in her eyes makes me wonder if she thinks she's being punished for something. I often wonder what's going through her head, and if she wonders why we've made her live in such a small space now.

Tonight, after I finished work and everyone had already gone home for the evening, I stepped outside of the office door and sat by her tiny enclosure for a while. I reached my hand in through the opening and scratched her ears, while discouraging her from getting up excitedly. I sat there and talked to her for a long time and tried to explain, and in some ways, I think she understands.

Each member of the two-legged team here has been constantly giving her extra attention to make sure she knows she's not being punished. The first day she was back from the vet, I watched from the picnic tables as Leyton went in to greet her. As he squatted down, she became excited and started to try to jump up to lick his face. I smiled as I watched Leyton telling her "No, don't jump up, you can lick me from where you are, but don't hurt yourself," and Sequoia consistently whimpered, wanting to be her normal energetic self. Even Jim, our assistant to outreach, who normally keeps his animal contact to a minimum has been sitting and talking to Sequoia reguarly. She is definitely well loved here, and everyone is trying to make this as easy for her as possible.

Manu, Sequoia's mate, is also lost right now. With his special, pup-like personality, Sequoia was his constant comfort and stability. Without her, now, he seems to pace around his enclosure as though he is still looking for her and wondering what happened. Both seem so distressed without the other, we're hoping that within a week or so, we'll be able to move Sequoia into the containment area of her old enclosure. At least then she will be near Manu, even if she's still separated by a fence.

I suppose this is always one of the hardest things when working with animals. While we know that we are doing what is best for Sequoia and that this is simply part of the process to help her regain her strength and health, it is still difficult to watch the anxiety that it causes. We hope that she understands when we sit next to her and explain she's not being punished, but it is still a constant wondering that she may be feeling admonished and neglected. With time, as she feels better, but is still healing, it will become more difficult for her to remain confined. But hopefully, with all of the love and concern her care-takers hold for her, she will realize what is happening is for the best.

--Angel

Appalachian Greens: A Howling Report

2006-01-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

Appalachian Greens: A Howling Report

Introduction: To Catch a Glimpse of a Wild Spirit

2005-12-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

For those of us who are blessed enough to spend time at Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, a whole new world of understanding forms. We as volunteers and staff members at the Sanctuary are able to live day in and day out with these animals and learn so many things from each of them. Each and every day revolves around providing them with sanctuary, necessities, and hopefully, the best life that we can give them in captivity. As our Assistant Director, Gary Fuller says, "Even a good prison is still a prison," and while we know this to be true, we are constantly striving to better the life that these wild spirits are forced to live in. Each morning we begin our days by feeding, cleaning the enclosures of and for those who enjoy it, socializing each animal who resides with us. The rest of the day follows with each member of the team working in some aspect of the organization, whether by preparing for the following day's feeding, performing maitenence tasks to improve life, appearance and functionality at the sanctuary, or working in administration to keep the organization running and search for ways to fund the sanctuary, educate the public and make a difference in the world of these animals.
While visitors to and members of the Sanctuary are given a taste of life here and an introduction to the residents, only by living here are we able to begin fully grasping the dynamics of each individual animal as well as the dynamics of the organization as a whole. This blog was created as a way to allow readers to gain a better understanding of all things related to Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary.
Here we will post accounts of daily activities such as food preparation, meat separation, administrative tasks and current sanctuary projects. We will also relate stories of our residents, the complexities of interaction, and our continuous learning from these fantastic creatures. It will be a place for us to continue our own education, document interactions and evolution, as well as allow those interested a better source of insight into daily life. But most importantly, as with all the work we do, this is a tribute to our residents, who's wild spirits have been trapped in captivity and must now serve as ambassadors for their brothers and sisters.