Update - The 'Wide Awake' Rescue/Saving 19 Animals

- The Big Build

- The Animals Arrive

- The Next Step

***  We Need Your Help!  ***

(read more below)

Update - Dells Wolf (5)

- This Boy Is No Fool!

- Please Sign - On Line Petition

(read more below)

Update - The “Wide-Awake” Rescue

The Big Build

   Rescuing the animals from Wisconsin, who were temporarily housed at a Humane Society in Minnesota, we have chosen to call the “Wide Awake” Rescue.  We believe this is appropriate due to the generosity of our friends, who own property in the Colorado mountains, which used to be a small prospecting town called “Wide Awake”.  These folks have not only gone above beyond in allowing us to use their property for the rescue site, but also were instrumental in helping to build the enclosures.  Although the new site is located approximately 100 miles from the Sanctuary, it will additionally provide an excellent location for an emergency evacuation site once the “Wide Awake” animals are all placed in appropriate facilities.

    As reported in our original alert, we received the final word from the Humane Society in MN on Friday afternoon.  Everything exploded from there.  Poles, chain link and door panels all had to be picked up in Denver and delivered to the site.  Hog rings, staples, tools, etc. all had to be collected for a Saturday morning departure to the new site.  Volunteers had to be contacted to provide the labor for the build and accommodations for those who would stay overnight, for the build, must be found.  The logistics involved with this type of rapid response seemed impossible -- how was all of this going to come together?  In addition, how would we fund such a large operation?  Everyone had their assignments and the wheels started to spin, the phones dialed, the emails hit cyber space and the gofers, went.

     Saturday morning arrived and Frank hit the build site by mid morning to layout the enclosures.  The site was beautiful and presented the option of making the enclosures somewhat larger than had originally been planned.  They also allowed for a small creek to run through all of the enclosures.  He laid out 12 enclosures that would each be approximately 22’ by 60’.  By early afternoon, volunteers were arriving and holes were being drilled for posts.  Posts were being set and the build was on.  The volunteers continued until dark -- about 9:00 pm and then staggered off to the home of a Wolf supporter, who opened his home for the troops.  Dinner had been prepared, was eaten, washed down with a beer and everyone hit their sleeping bags.

     Sunday morning the volunteers were up by 6:00 am, ate breakfast and were at the site working by 7:00 am.  Holes were being drilled faster than poles could be set.  Concerns were surfacing about how the stream could transverse the enclosures and still make the enclosures secure.  It was becoming apparent that Frank may have been thinking more about the well-being of the animals, but forgetting that the humans had to build all of this by Wednesday or Thursday.  By dark everyone was more than a little concerned as to whether or not we would be able to accomplish the task and the weather seemed to echo this concern and it began to snow.  Again off to the temporary sleeping quarters for dinner, a beer and to bed.

     Monday morning (Memorial Day) began early again and folks were starting to stretch chain link.  Dig guard was being laid down as well, but it was clear we needed more help.  The folks from “Wide Awake” sprang into action.  They started to layout chain link faster than the stretching could be done.  They started stretching as well.  They were our “God Send”.  They provided the spark to our motivation that indicated we really could make this happen.  The battle cry from their leader, Charlie, spread through the ranks, “hurry”!  By dark everyone was feeling much better that this was going to happen, but there was still along way to go and again it began to snow.  Off to our “D, B, SB & B” (Dinner, Beer, Sleeping Bag & Breakfast) and up early again to continue.

     Tuesday repeated all of the events of Monday and good progress was being made.  However, it suddenly became apparent that because Frank had increased the size of the enclosures, we were going to run short on materials.  One of our outstanding volunteers began the quest for more.  We ran her all over the Denver area to find what we needed.  It was still going somewhat slower than we wanted.  This was also attributed to Frank’s decision to increase the enclosure size.   The volunteers were starting to show signs of exhaustion.  It  dawned on us that we were building these enclosures at 10,000 feet above sea level.  The volunteers could also be suffering from altitude sickness.  With all of this going on we still were unsure of exactly when the animals would arrive.  The snow started again and continued this time.  It appeared that we were going to get some accumulation.  Pat was back at the Sanctuary trying to pin down all of the details on the Minnesota end.  By dark we were soaked and cold as we headed back to our “D, B, SB & B”.  We then found out that the animals would arrive in their air conditioned horse trailer on Thursday morning.  However, there would only be 17.  One had died, and two were euthanized and evidently one escaped from animal control and was free-ranging at her original home.

     Wednesday morning started extra early as everyone was feeling the pressure to finish.  Our gofers seemed to arrive just when we needed the supplies we sent them to find.  The folks from Wide Awake were kicking butt.  Everything seemed to be clicking into place, except the weather.  This time it started as rain around lunch and turned into sleet and then snow.  It continued for several hours.  Outside of a break for lunch, everyone kept working.  Dog houses were being finished and checked by the Wide Awake canine, Buddy. Charlie’s battle cry echoed around the build area -- “hurry”!  It was getting done, but by dark there were still details that needed to be resolved.  As we drove back to the “D, B, SD & B” we were trying figure out whether or not we could finish in time.  As we pondered this issue, we figured out that with Frank’s increase in the size of these enclosures that the amount of linear footage of fence built would have created a 2.5 acre enclosure, if built in a square.  Naturally everyone started throwing stuff at Frank -- what was he thinking -- in 5 days!?  This was unheard of -- but through the dedication of all the volunteers involved it DID happen.

     Thursday morning we were at the site by 6:00 am and hitting it hard.  Checking the integrity of all the fencing and dig guard, making minor and not so minor adjustments, placing dog houses, getting feeders and water buckets set, placing slash on dig guard, getting shavings into dog houses, placing rocks on strategic places along the stream, cleaning out left over materials and planning where animals would be placed to insure the best chance of a low stress acclimation.  Just as the last details were being completed at about 11:30 am, the animals arrived.  But they weren’t in an air conditioned trailer the way they were supposed to be.  What were we going to find inside this trailer?  Were they going to be alright even without air conditioning?

The Animals Arrive

     As we opened the door we were shocked by the lack of air space between travel kennels -- there was none!  They were jammed together, front to back and side to side.  There was no space for anyone to even consider getting water to them.  It also became apparent that no vet tech was in attendance, as we were told there would be.  It also became apparent that the drivers were not concerned about the animals as they started yanking and tugging at the travel kennels in order to get them apart -- this was nothing more than inanimate cargo for them.  We could not believe that the Humane Society was paying these folks $7,000 to accomplish this shipment.

     Our goal was to get the animals out of this situation and into their new enclosures as quickly as possible.  We got all of the kennels out of the trailer and into the enclosure that was chosen for the animal listed on the door of the kennel.

     The first kennel was weighed, in order to get an animal weight.  The sheet on the kennel door listed the animal as Hammer, but we had been told that Hammer was euthanized.  Once the animal came out it was obvious this was Boots, not Hammer.  So, was Hammer here or not?  What was next?  What should we believe and not believe?  We had tried to get a firm listing, with photos, of the animals from the Humane Society, but even that seemed to have irregularities.  We had also informed the Humane Society that we would pay for blood to be drawn for testing, so we could begin immediate treatment on animals that needed medication and that had not been done either.  This was going to be more difficult than we anticipated.

     We then started trying to identify each animal in the kennels, before we released them into their enclosure.  This was very difficult to do and slowed down the process significantly.  We moved down the line, weighing and releasing and had few problems until the last two enclosures, where two paired animals were supposed to be released.  The photos on the kennels did not seem to match one of the animals.  It was close, but not quite right.  Checking the next enclosure’s photos again was inconclusive.  These were going to be the most critical as they were the only two enclosures where animals would be together.  We finally decided that we would have to trust the listing on the kennel label and both groups were released.

     Three of the animals were slated to go to the Sanctuary.  One was totally blind and would need extra attention and care, this was Muck.  Another, Jack was missing an eye and was a fear-biter and would also be better off under tighter scrutiny.  The third was suspected to be a bonded partner to Jack, this was Pride.  These animals were quickly loaded into air conditioned vehicles for their trip to the sanctuary.

     All of the animals at the temporary site were now in their new homes.  Many of them were running around, obviously very stressed.  Others were hiding at the back of their enclosures, also scared.  The release team moved away from the area and the animals were observed from a distance to insure that the stress level would be as low as possible.  Although very skinny and obviously very stressed, the decision was made not to put them through any sort of immediate medical exams.  Instead, they would be observed closely and allowed to settle into their new environment.  Additionally, taking blood now would not give reliable test results because of the trauma they had just been through.

     The animals taken to the Sanctuary were released into isolation enclosures without a problem and are also being monitored very closely.  Although very scared and thin, they appear to be adjusting slowly to their new environment.

     Our vet was out on Friday and performed a thorough visual exam on the animals at Wide Awake and agreed that what they needed most was to be left alone to calm down.  We are currently planning on doing a physical exam and blood draw on Tuesday the 9th.  We then are tentatively planning to do spays and neuters in about 3 weeks.

We Need Your Help

    It appears that the Humane Society in Minnesota has received approximately $24,000 in donations for the care of these animals.  It further appears that they have no intention of forwarding the amount above their actual expenses to Wolf.

    As we progress with their medical evaluations, treatments, spays and neuters, the bills will increase rapidly.  Current expenditures to build their new enclosures have exceeded $14,000 based on preliminary calculations.

     We need your help to proceed as planned.  Our financial resources will be stretched to the maximum, in order to accommodate these animals appropriately.

     If you can afford even a donation of $1.00, it will help.  You can send it via our web site at this link:

      http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/10-funding/10-01.htm#donations

or send it to our USPS address:

          Post Office Box 1544

          La Porte, CO 80535 

THANK YOU!

MN Humane - TV News Report (on-line video available)

KSTP TV 5 News from 26 May 2006

http://www.kstptv5.com/article/stories/S16579.html?cat=1

Wisconsin Officials Seize 19 Wolf-Dog Hybrids

MN Humane - TV News Report

KARE 11 TV News from 26 May 2006

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=125646

Animal Humane Society Rescues Wolf Hybrids

MN Humane - TV News Report

WCCO TV 4 News from 26 May 2006

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_146071205.html

Humane Society Houses 19 Wolf-Dog Hybrids

Update - Dells Wolf

This Boy Is No Fool!

     Current reports have indicated that the Dells Wolf was spotted briefly, several times, at the farm he had been frequenting.  It appears that he has become much wiser and is indeed not fooled by the modified leg hold traps which have been placed for his capture.

     The DNR has indicated that they will send him to the facility in Minnesota if he is caught.  We have still not received any response to our messages to this organization.  We have found out a little more about that facility however, some of which we are concerned about.  You can learn more about this facility as it was featured in an Animal Planet Episode called “Growing Up Wolf”.  You can check viewing times of this show by going to the following link:

     http://animal.discovery.com/tvlistings/episode.jsp? episode=0&cpi=85741&gid=0&channel=APL

Sign On-Line Petition

Please sign the petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/939595590

Don’t Let The Wisconsin DNR Get Away

With Murder!