Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary facts for kids
| Date opened | 1991 |
|---|---|
| Location | Candy Kitchen, New Mexico, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°54′38″N 108°29′21″W / 34.910653°N 108.489201°W |
| No. of animals | 60+ |
| Annual visitors | 15,000+ |
The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary (WSWS) is a special place in Candy Kitchen, New Mexico, United States. It's an animal sanctuary that helps rescue and care for wolves and wolfdogs (dogs mixed with wolf genes). These animals were born in captivity and cannot live in the wild. The sanctuary is a non-profit organization, which means it uses all its money to help the animals, not to make a profit.
Right across from the sanctuary, there's a campground run by WSWS. If you stay there on a weekend, you might even get to help feed the animals! You can join the volunteers as they give the wolves their breakfast. It's a unique way to get close to these amazing creatures.
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How the Sanctuary Started
Early Days: Candy Kitchen Rescue Ranch
The Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary began in 1991. It was first called the Candy Kitchen Rescue Ranch. A woman named Jacque Evans started it. She owned wolfdogs herself and realized that these pets need a lot of special care. Many people couldn't handle them.
So, Jacque decided to create a safe home for unwanted wolves and wolfdogs. She used her own land in Candy Kitchen for this. To support the animals and the ranch, she sold her artwork.
Becoming a Non-Profit Organization
In 1993, Barbara Berge joined Jacque. Barbara also rescued wolfdogs in a different city. Together, they worked to turn the rescue ranch into a non-profit organization. This helped them get more support and donations.
In 2003, the Candy Kitchen Rescue Ranch changed its name to the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. Leyton Cougar became the new leader, called the executive director. Later, in August 2020, Brittany McDonald took over as the Executive Director.
What Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Does
Wild Spirit has three main goals: education, sanctuary, and rescue.
- Education: The sanctuary wants to teach everyone about wolves, wolfdogs, and other wild animals. They also teach about protecting our environment. "Wolf Ambassadors" from the sanctuary visit schools and events. They help people understand that wolves are not like the "Big Bad Wolf" from fairy tales. Tours at the sanctuary also help visitors learn about the animals and why sanctuaries are so important.
- Sanctuary: Wild Spirit provides a forever home for wolves and wolfdogs that can't live in the wild. These animals might have been abandoned or rescued from bad situations. The sanctuary uses help from local groups and private people to care for them.
- Rescue: The sanctuary gets many calls every day from people who need help with their wolves or wolfdogs. However, Wild Spirit is often full and can't take in every animal. They mainly rescue wolfdogs or wolves from very difficult situations.
Visiting the Sanctuary
Guided Tours
You can take a guided tour to see the animals at the sanctuary. These tours usually last from 45 to 90 minutes. They start at the main log cabin and cover about a quarter of a mile. It's a great way to learn about the animals and their stories.
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Special Photography Tours
For those who love photography, the sanctuary offers special tours. On these tours, visitors can go inside some of the animal enclosures with a guide. This allows for amazing close-up photos. These tours usually last one to two hours. You can also arrange private tours for groups.
