Sunday, October 30th, 2005 is the date for the 5th Annual Howl-O-Ween Run For The Wolves. Remember to save the day and join us for an enjoyable event. As in previous years the run will take place at City Park and Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins. For those of you who have never been to the run, this is a fun family event. We will have trick-or-treat stations on the course for our younger friends and companion animals. There will be a pumpkin patch for the children or young-at-heart to take home a jack-o-lantern. There is a costume contest for adults and kids, (no you don’t have to wear a costume, but it is fun).

Each entrant will receive a goodie bag to take home and registration includes a t-shirt with the run logo.

Children nine and under and companion animals can enter free of charge with a paid adult.

There will be awards and ribbons for the humans as well as companion animals who place in the race. In the Senior, Adult and Young Adult categories, their will also be a prize presented for the first place male and female. These prizes are a pair of running shoes donated by Runner’s Roost, Bell’s Running and Runner’s Choice. If you don’t want to run or walk the course you can still help the Sanctuary by gathering pledges for a chance to win one of ten terrific prizes.

The top 10 pledge-raisers will get to choose from the assortment. Last year these prizes included; televisions, art work, an electric scooter, a DVD/VHS player, a child’s mountain bike, PetCo Gift Certificates and more. REMEMBER -- You don’t have to run to win and you don’t have to collect pledges to run. There is a registration form enclosed in this newsletter for your convenience. Please call Wolf for a registration form or if you have any questions.

This year because of insurance restrictions, we will not have the ambassador animals joining us for the fun.

In Memory of Sequoia

Sequoia came to live at the Sanctuary at two and one half weeks of age with eight siblings and her Mother. All ten of these animals were going to be destroyed. Mom because she was a wolf-dog and wolf-dogs are considered un-adoptable by most Humane Societies. The pups had two strikes against them, they were not weaned and they were wolf-dogs.

Sequoia’s story is not unusual, her people had to move and could not take the animals with them. Unfortunately this happens a great deal of the time. People take on the responsibility of animals without knowing what to do if they have to move or their landlord will not allow animals. Sequoia’s people wanted the Mom and one of the pups when they could find a place to live. Eventually they did take back the Mother but “Sequie” and her siblings stayed on at the Sanctuary.

Sequoia was a joy to everyone who knew her. She became “The Town Crier”, sounding the alarm when ever someone arrived at the sanctuary. We always knew when something was going on with the other animals in the compound because Sequoia would come bounding into the house with all the latest news. Running to Frank, Pat or anyone who would listen, knocking things off of tables with her tail which never stopped wagging right along with her tongue.

As new pups came to the Sanctuary her demeanor became that of Mom. Sequie loved puppies and would adopt all new comers, making them her own. She would feed, clean, teach and play with the pups making sure that they learned their wolf manners.

When Frank and Pat got up on the morning of August 12, Sequoia was very unresponsive and definitely not herself. Phoning ahead to the Emergency Critical Care unit at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital to let them know they were bringing in a critically ill animal, Pat and volunteer, Donna Nayduch, rushed Sequoia down the mountain. Upon arrival Dr. Hackett met us at the door with a gurney. We placed the stretcher holding Sequoia on the gurney. Doing a quick check of Sequoia’s vital signs, Dr. Hackett informed us that he needed to take her to critical care “now”.

We waited for about a half hour. Dr. Hackett returned, he informed us that he had removed 700 cc’s of blood from the pericardium around Sequie’s heart and that she was resting comfortably. As it works out, Dr. Hackett is the head of the Critical Care Unit and a Heart Specialist. It would be necessary to do an ultrasound and possibly an echo cardiogram on Sequoia to find out what caused the blood around her heart. Dr. Hackett explained they were looking for a tumor.

By now other volunteers had heard about Sequoia and joined us at the hospital. Everyone prayed for good news. It was not to be. Dr. Hackett brought Sequoia out on a gurney and we knew immediately there was nothing that could be done. He explained that she had a cancerous tumor in the right atrium of her heart and that it was about the size of a golf ball. This particular cancer, Haemangioma, was not operable because of its placement. Sequoia would only be with us for two days to two weeks on the outside.

With heavy hearts we brought her home to be with her family until it was time for her to leave. She seemed very normal as the removal of the fluid from around the heart gave her significant relief. Sequoia enjoyed four and half additional days with us and her siblings. On August 17th at 8:30 am she collapsed while greeting some volunteers arriving at the sanctuary. A quick analysis of her condition left no doubt that it was time for her to leave us. Sequoia departed peacefully, while being held in Frank’s arms. Everyone misses you sweet Sequie.

Volunteer Spotlight
Jesse Hand

Jesse Hand’s quiet demeanor and amazing intellect makes him an excellent volunteer for Wolf. He has a very laid back attitude, which goes a long way when working with the wolves. His calm attitude and genuine love for the animals has earned him the trust, acceptance and love of all the animals at Wolf.

Jesse started volunteering in November of 2002 and steadily worked his way through the ranks at Wolf, to earn a level four status -- a very select distinction. Jesse is excellent at always questioning what he is doing and what is going on, which means that things are always done right the first time. Regardless of the job, Jesse is willing to jump in and help. He is always the last to leave Wolf, making sure to stay until all the work is completed.

Jesse is a Senior at Colorado State University majoring in Biology. He entered CSU on the VetStart Program, which guarantees his entrance into Vet School.
He will be graduating this winter and starting Veterinary School in the fall at CSU. He is currently working at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the Ophthalmology Department. Jesse plans on specializing in Veterinary Ophthalmology. His work at the hospital has given us an inside track, when it is necessary for us to take animals there. He can go into the intensive care areas and keep the animals calm, because he is someone they know and are comfortable around. He has helped, in this function, with Ahzeem, Jazzy, Sequoia and others.

In addition to Jesse being an excellent volunteer, he also did a full-time internship at Wolf for the summer of 2004. This gave him the opportunity
to see more of the everyday activities associated with Wolf outside of regular chores. He lived in a small cabin on the property owned by the founders of Wolf.

Jesse not only volunteers at the Sanctuary but is willing to jump in and help at educational programs where he has been an animal handler. Jesse has worked at most of Wolf's large events such as the Howl-O-Ween Run and the Waltz, to help with whatever he can. Last year he was up at 4:30 am picking up pumpkins to transport to the site of the race for the pumpkin patch. Jesse has also been instrumental in training and testing volunteers.

Unfortunately, when Jesse starts Veterinary School, we may be seeing a lot less of him. Hopefully, he will still have the time to continue to volunteer on a somewhat regular basis.

What Makes A Teenager
Sponsor Wolves (by Hailey Metzer)

I guess it started at a howl-in, and with a wonderful volunteer named Mary. She was really the one who got me interested and involved with Wolf. I had considered myself to be a “wolf-lover” before finding out about Wolf, but I was never very fond of wolf-dogs until I started attending events and spending time with the residents that came along. The more events I went to, the more I wanted to know about what Wolf did and how they did it.

So where does one go when they want to know more about something? Why, the internet of course! Once I had found their website it didn’t take long for me to read every individual’s story. I was shocked at everything these creatures went through. If I thought I was a wolf-lover before, it was nothing compared to the passion that I developed for these animals and their situation in captivity. I decided that I wanted to help change the life of an animal. I loved how Wolf viewed every animal as an individual and if there was any place that I could donate to that would improve the life of a wolf or wolf-dog, it was Wolf.

Sponsorship, in my mind, has always been the most fun way to donate to a wolf center, and that’s how I donate to Wolf. It’s a lot of money for someone my age to raise, but I manage to do it, and I initially chose two very special animals to dedicate my hard work to. I knew who I was going to sponsor because I kept finding myself coming back to their online pages. Peter was my first sponsored wolf-dog, and besides that brilliant face of his, I think the line that won me over was, “His overall personality is that of a big goofy puppy, who just enjoys about everything that goes on in his life.” Then there was Jazzy, who was the most beautiful being I had ever seen, and could convince anyone that wolf-dogs were special just by looking at them with those loving eyes. I tried my best to visit every event she was going be visiting.

I find myself wondering why some people who call themselves “wolf-lovers” spend all their money on posters for their walls but don’t do anything to help the real animals in need. I wanted to be something more than the person who tells everyone they love wolves. But, sometimes I wish there were a lot more people who were willing to become dedicated to these animals. I talk to so many people who tell me they love wolves and try to convince them to donate to Wolf or another center with the same goals. I believe that Wolf does an excellent job of educating people about wolves and wolf-dogs, and getting wolf-lovers to help out in their plight.

I also believe there is a “Peter” out there for everyone, and everyone has the chance to help out an exceptional sanctuary like Wolf, and make a difference in the life of a wolf or wolf-dog.