Sheila's Sharebook 

To my animal-loving Care2 Friends - especially those of you with a special place in your heart for wolves:

It "poured cats and dogs" on Monday, so I was afraid my Tuesday trip to Speedwell Forge, home of the Wolf Sanctuary, would be a muddy mess.  But just as with Annie, the sun came out on the morrow!  A chill in the air, a strong breeze but just a beautiful day to be out and about.

My friend Marg and I had signed up for a day trip - a bus of 54 Friends of my local library. Before seeing their flyer, I had no idea (nor did most of my friends in the area) that we even had a wolf sanctuary.  Excited by the thought of seeing these beautiful creatures "up close and personal" - and yet, a little disturbed that no matter how "free" their environment, they were still not roaming the wild. Of course, at that point, I did not know the history and purpose of the sanctuary. By the time we left, I was truly thankful for the work, dedication and care the staff provides to the 40 wolves priviledged to live in safety at the sanctuary. 

As you will see by visiting the website below - each wolf has a name, each is recognized as an individual and treated accordingly. These wolves would not have survived if not for the sanctuary. They have been acquired either by purchase or illegal means and kept in apartments, trailors, cars. etc. Some were abused, others just became too agressive to be "pets" any longer. One had to be surrendered by a very loving, sad woman who did not know she needed a permit and could not meet the stringent requirements to acquire one. Her wolf faced euthanasia by her township if she did not find a home for it. That's where Speedwell comes in. They rescue, intervene and open their doors whenever possible. To the best of their ability, the provide an environment as close to natural as possible. These are not animals that could be released to the wild - as they either have never learned to hunt or would be attacked if they tried to enter a pack. The wolves of Speedwell have lived as long as 18 years under their care. The average life expectancy in the wild is 8 years - if the pup survives its first year.

I could go on and on about the education this organization is doing to alert people to the truth about wolves in general and why they should not be considered domestic pets. What started as a family interest with 4 wolves has grown (over several generations) into a 501C non-profit home to 40 wolves.  They receive no federal funds - only rules and regulations (as the tour guide put it!) but depend totally on donations.  Located just outside of Lancaster, PA it's well worth visiting and a great place for kids. Open to the public on weekends only.  Here's a taste:

http://www.wolfsancpa.com/index.html

Thanks for reading and thanks for being my Friend!

Sheila