Since 1995 there has been an incredible sanctuary nestled back in the foothills of Northern Colorado. Every evening when the sun goes down, residents of this sanctuary make their presence known… by answering their call to nature and howling at the moon. W.O.L.F Sanctuary gives these awe-inspiring animals the best life possible, even though right from birth, they are set up for failure.
The wolves at W.O.L.F Sanctuary are a combination of wolf dogs and wolves that are bred to be domestic pets. The problem is that wolves are not domesticated animals. They are not dogs, no matter how much dog they have in them. They are not meant to live in homes and sleep in doghouses. It’s estimated that up to 250,000 of these animals are born in the United States every year. Many of these animals end up abandoned because even though they resemble domestic dogs, their personalities and needs say different.
Advocating for these animals is a group of workers and volunteers at W.O.L.F Sanctuary. The mission of this sanctuary is to give these animals a chance at life and friendship, both with other wolves and wolf dogs, and the humans that obviously love them so much. This organization runs entirely off of donations and volunteers. There are many things on the horizon for these animals.
First up is the sanctuary’s move to Red Feather Lakes. This move is exciting for not only the wolves, as they will have more room to run around and explore, but also for the public. For the first time, W.O.L.F. Sanctuary will be offering tours to the public. People can see these animals in their habitats and can learn all about them with the help of the volunteers.
W.O.L.F Sanctuary is so excited for the public to be able to view these animals and see their unique personalities shine. At the Sanctuary now, any visitors are welcomed by the official greeters, Ashima and Spartacus. The playful demeanor of Spartacus, who is one of the older wolves is reminiscent of a dog, but he definitely has the look of a wolf. He is a great reminder that these are not domesticated animals. His personality is evident in all that meet him.
Much like dogs, each of the wolves has a unique personality. Wolves are not the vicious creatures portrayed in folklore. Wolves are generally shy and are described by the Executive Director of W.O.LF. Shelley Coldiron as “cats in a canine body”. Coldiron does what she does because of the incredible relationships she forms with these animals.
To Coldiron, the W.O.L.F. Sanctuary is more than just a job. Her home in Loveland is used as an infirmary for wolves that need to heal from any injuries or necessary veterinary procedures. She also used her home in 2012 to house 14 wolves for 3 and a half weeks when the High Park fire threatened the sanctuary.
Coldiron has formed close, personal bonds with these wolves, like Mecqua, who had to get his eyes removed. She watched him go from being a wolf, terrified of humans, in rough shape, and very much alone, to him “blossoming”. She couldn’t stand the thought of him spending the winter alone and scared, so she took him in at her home. He started interacting with her dogs and in doing so, regained his confidence. He lived to the ripe old age of 21, which is longer than anyone expected him to live and is years past the average life expectancy of such an animal.
Watching these animals transform, from how they arrive at the sanctuary, to how they become with companionship and the enrichment provided to them by the volunteers and workers at W.O.L.F Sanctuary. The companionship and enrichment wolves need are just two of the differences between the wolf and the domesticated dog.
These success stories are why Ironside and her colleagues do what they do. It’s incredibly rewarding to look at Ember or Zoey, who both were illegally bred at fur farms, and were due to be used to make fur coats, and to see them running around and howling at the moon, as they are truly meant to do, is their reason.
W.OL.F Sanctuary has an exciting event on its upcoming calendar. Howling For Mother Earth Gala 2023 will be held on April 22nd at the Hilton Fort Collins. This marks the 27th fundraising gala for the sanctuary. Tickets are being sold here: https://wolfsanctuary.co/w-o-l-f-gala-dinner-2023-howling-for-mother-earth/
Getting involved with the W.O.L.F. Sanctuary is easy. The sanctuary is always looking for volunteers and donations so they can continue their efforts. With moving to the new facility and all that the future holds, they need help from the community now, more than ever before. Go to https://wolfsanctuary.co/ to learn more about how you can volunteer your money or time to help these incredible animals.