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| Two of the wolf dog puppies |
My Orientation for Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge was a day like no other. On October 18th, I arrived at Wolf Run with three other volunteers, not expecting what I would find. Animal Care Staff Manager, Savannah Massey, initially greeted us, and told us our day would be spent learning about the animals living at Wolf Run Animal Refuge. We heard every animal's story, but one stood out over all.
A wolf, named
Bandit, once lived on a golf course, and all the golfers who came loved to interact with the wolf dog. One day, a new golfer came with his girlfriend, and thought the wolf dog was going to attack him, when all the dog wanted was attention. The man beat the wolf dog, almost to the point of death, and left him to die. This is when Wolf Run stepped in. After multiple surgeries to repair the broken bones, Bandit now lives happily at Wolf Run. The only difference about him is his limp and his fear of people. Many animals at Wolf Run share a similar story, many of which include neglect or abuse.
After hearing every animal's story, Savannah invited us into an enclosure with all of the puppies. The puppies were all taken at 2 weeks old from a breeder in Ohio, who simply could not take care of them. Now, at a year old, the puppies have their own distinct characteristics, many of which include a love for people. I was very nervous to interact with such wild animals, but the senior staff members assured us the dogs were very gentle animals. The puppies were so glad to see new volunteers. They showered us with licks and, in return, expected us to pet them.
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| Two wolf dog puppies interacting with me |
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| Me petting a wolf dog puppy |
The volunteers at Wolf Run express so much joy for what they do. This can be seen in Savannah by the way she talks about the animals and to the animals. She truly shows a passion for what she does. I am very excited to continue working with these animals and the other volunteers!
I enjoyed hearing about your experience at Wolf Run. The pictures add a personal touch that truly help me visualize your experience you shared. I appreciate that you included the entire backstory of one of the wolves - it evoked empathy and a genuine interest to learn more about the organization. It looks like you are having lots of fun volunteering at this unique organization!
ReplyDeleteThis seriously looks so fun! The pictures make me wish that I could pet and play with the puppies too. The story about Bandit makes me so sad, but I'm glad that he is now at Wolf Run where he is safe and cared for. I understand why you may have been nervous with the puppies at first. Do you still feel a little nervous when you volunteer or did this easily go away when you first interacted with them?
ReplyDeleteOnce I saw the senior staff members interact with the puppies and how much attention the puppies wanted from the senior staff members, I was excited to be able to interact with them! The new volunteers and I have to be sure we can go into certain enclosures, as some animals do not like interaction with humans, but the puppies are definitely a lot of fun to play with! They act as any domesticated dog would!
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