LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — An animal sanctuary in Larimer County, Colorado, is a safe haven for wolf dogs, animals that are part dog and part wolf. It currently houses more than 20 rescued from abusive pasts, including one from Joe Exotic.
W.O.L.F. Sanctuary near Red Feather Lakes has been in operation for 30 years. More than 100 wolf dogs have passed through in that time, a final stop for many after enduring traumatic lives.
“We provide lifelong sanctuary to captive-born wolf dogs,” said Laura Davis, W.O.L.F.’s senior director of operations.
Sanctuary is one of their three pillars, alongside rescue and education. The facility, nestled in Larimer County’s Mummy Range mountains, is currently home to more than 20 wolf dogs, some of which have more wolf-like features than others.
“All the way up to some that are 95%,” said Davis.
All of them, though, are escaping troubled pasts.
“It actually chokes you up because they have had such difficult lives,” she said.
One of which is Ember. She came to the sanctuary six years ago, originally from a farm in Minnesota that would raise wolf dogs to eventually kill them and sell their pelts. While the pelting was legal, the farm, which also operated as a petting zoo, was found to be mistreating its wolf dogs.
“They came to confiscate the animals, and when they got there, these wolves were all gone,” says Davis.
As it turns out, they were smuggled to Joe Exotic’s private zoo in Oklahoma, the subject of Netflix’s “Tiger King” series.
Davis said she’s unsure what Ember endured there, but said it was enough to keep her skittish around humans when she first arrived. Six years later, however, things have changed.
“She’s starting finally to come out of her shell after all of this time and it’s really heartwarming to see how well she’s doing now,” said Davis.
It’s a success story Davis is proud of, excited to keep the momentum up for other wolf dogs in similar situations.
“Here, they have room to roam and really run and play and it’s heartwarming,” she said.
After three decades, she said that she feels they have no choice but to continue on for at least the next three.
“They would have nowhere to go. So, in my mind, we can’t fail,” said Davis. “It’s not an option.”
W.O.L.F. Sanctuary isn’t eligible for federal or state grants because they don’t take in wild animals or companion animals, so they rely solely on community support. You can learn more about donation and volunteer opportunities, as well as learn the stories of all the wolf dogs that call the sanctuary home, by visiting their website.