Fort Collins, Colo., March 4, 2008 —
Frank Wendland, cofounder of Wolves Offered Life and Friendship (W.O.L.F.), today filed a Rule 106 lawsuit against the Larimer County Commissioners, claiming their recent (February 4, 2008) decision to prohibit expansion of the W.O.L.F. Sanctuary was arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion.
“The commissioners relied upon incomplete and incorrect information in making their decision,” said Wendland. “We have met every demand and done everything required of us for the past eight years, all without neighbor complaints. All our enclosures are built to Division of Wildlife specifications, and our fences were approved by a county building inspector. We have established a fire evacuation plan that provides for the safety of humans first and establishes dens for the animals to ‘survive in place.’ Our track record is excellent, and most neighbors actually support our work.”
According to Wendland, in 1994 he and his wife purchased 182 acres in a remote, sparsely populated mountain valley for the purpose of establishing a refuge for wolf-dog hybrids. Based on the requirements of their first special review, they have limited the refuge to 5 acres and 30 animals for 8 years. The wolf-hybrid population in society, however, is unregulated and growing; the situation is problematic for both the animals and their owners. Wendland believes that W.O.L.F. is offering an invaluable service and should be supported in its request to use more of its land and to house additional animals.
“In 2006 we made the decision to rescue 18 wolf-dogs that were used for breeding purposes and kept in horrible conditions. Our Sanctuary was at capacity, so we took full responsibility for their care and built temporary enclosures in another county,” explained Wendland. “Our original plan was to rescue them and place them as bonded pairs in other sanctuaries around the country. But because of poor treatment and lack of care in the past, most have health and emotional problems and must be housed at W.O.L.F. It is essential that we receive permission to expand the facility in order to meet our responsibility and keep them alive. Like other social services in Larimer County, we need support from the County Commissioners.”
According to Wendland, wolf-dogs cannot be turned out into the wild, and they are not suitable as pets. He says, “Misguided human beings bred them, and they certainly do not deserve to be killed just because they don’t fit neatly into our society.”
Thousands of wolf-dogs are born each year in the United States. People who want to own a “wolf” purchase hybrids and -- although some buyers understand their needs and are talented enough as trainers to create workable partnerships – too many wolf-dog owners end up chaining the animal in the back yard, confining them to cages and/or get into trouble by treating them as pets. Euthanasia is often the only way out for these animals unless they can be rescued by a wolf-dog sanctuary. W.O.L.F. is one of only about five accredited sanctuaries operating in the USA.
Although W.O.L.F. and its many volunteers work hard to rescue and care for wolf-dogs, their real purpose is to educate people against breeding these lovely, yet often wild-natured animals. And they strongly warn people not to buy wolf-dogs as pets.
In an effort to prove the sincerity of the W.O.L.F. mission, Wendland has contacted local legislators to sponsor a bill that would make it illegal to breed wolves to dogs in Colorado.
“Our overall mission,” says Wendland, “is to put ourselves out of business. But in order to decrease the numbers of unwanted wolf-dogs in our country, laws must be passed to prevent people from breeding wolf-dogs. This irresponsible cross-breeding creates unfair problems for wild wolf populations and for man’s best friend – the dog. Until such laws are enacted and enforced, however, we as a society have an obligation to provide for their well-being.”
Although he filed a Rule 106 case against the Commissioners today, Wendland insists he would welcome the opportunity to gain a compromise decision from the Commissioners and drop the legal action he feels he must take against them.
Breeder’s Wolf-Dogs Rescued by W.O.L.F.
Most of these wolf-dogs remain in temporary quarters and must be relocated to the Sanctuary. Several have died in spite of W.O.L.F.’s attempts to bring them back to good health. Six have been moved to W.O.L.F. as natural attrition allowed space for them.
Atlantis, male wolf-dog, paired with J.J.
Bootsy, male wolf-dog, paired with Lena
Gead, female wolf-dog, was paired with Mucqua; died of earlier head injury
Gina, female wolf-dog, paired with Hammer
Hammer, male wolf-dog, paired with Gina
Kasota, female wolf-dog, paired with Lucan
Jack, male wolf-dog, was paired with Pride; died of preexisting heart worm complications
Isis, female wolf-dog, now paired with Mucqua at W.O.L.F.
Lance, male wolf-dog, paired with Luna
Lena, female wolf-dog, paired with Bootsy
Menemith, female wolf-dog, paired with Webster; now at W.O.L.F.
Lucan, male wolf-dog, paired with Kasota
Webster, male wolf-dog, paired with Menemith; now at W.O.L.F.
Mucqua, male wolf-dog, completely blind, was paired with Gead, now paired with Isis at W.O.L.F.
Love Girl, female wolf-dog; died of preexisting heart worm complications
Pride, female wolf-dog, was paired with Jack; now paired with Kai at W.O.L.F.
Luna, female wolf-dog, paired with Lance
J.J., female wolf-dog, paired with Atlantis
We need your help to get these beings moved to the Sanctuary!
Please comment on the news links below:
Key Links:
http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/
The full story of rescuing these wolf-dogs from Wisconsin and building them a temporary home in Colorado:
http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/08-news/08-03-Newsletters/08-03-24-02.htm#top
http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/08-news/08-03-Newsletters/08-03-25-02.htm#top
http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/08-news/08-03-Newsletters/08-03-26-03.htm#top
http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/08-news/08-03-Newsletters/08-03-27-01.htm#WinterChallenges1
Photographs:
Photos of the 18 wolf-dogs as rescued:
http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/08-news/08-03-Newsletters/08-03-24-06.htm
Before and after photographs – now thriving in Colorado:
http://www.wolfsanctuary.net/08-news/08-03-Newsletters/08-03-28-04.htm#WAYearLater
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