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Letter From The President
The economic downturn has had a significant impact upon the Sanctuary’s operating donations. As compared to donations received through August 15th of 2008, 2009 has seen a decline in donations of just under $30,000. While we have tightened our belt in our daily operating expenses and delayed less imperative projects to continue operating in the black, there are a number of projects important to the mission of the Sanctuary we must start now. Projects we can not accomplish with out your assistance. In the last several months we have had two large expense, emergency medical situations. Gina’s emergency pyometra surgery and Mucqua’s bilateral eye surgery. Each of these turned out very successfully, Gina and Mucqua are doing outstandingly well. Both of these were funded from our existing emergency medical fund which is now depleted. Shaman, the stately arctic wolf whose social nature has allowed hundreds of people to meet a wolf at a very personal level, needs surgery. His hind legs are rapidly deteriorating and failing to support him. His Anterior Cruciate Ligament is severely torn on both knees and require immediate treatment. The estimated cost of the surgeries (they have to be done at different times) is between $4,500 and $8800. We will not be able to consider or schedule his surgery until funds can be acquired. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Sanctuary. Without your donations, the world-class facility for the wolves would not be. (Yes, we still are the only ASA and GFAS accredited wolf sanctuary in the United States.) Please donate today as many of our goals must be accomplished before the cold weather begins. If you have any questions please let me know and I will be glad to answer them. Gratefully Yours, Frank Wendland |
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Wolf is very proud that almost all of our funding comes from ‘grass roots’ support. It is testimony to the passion you possess for the wolves, but that base is impacted during hard economic times. We know that you are suffering as much as we are, and we truly appreciate your donation, no matter what size. Knowing the sacrifice we are asking of you, we have initiated a special offer to acknowledge your extra efforts and thank you for all you have already done. With any donation of $10 or more, we will send you a ‘Kenai’ bookmark. |
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| We are saddened to report that this year’s Run For The Wolves has been cancelled. Unfortunately due to a lack of resources based on the current economic situation, it was just not feasible to move forward with the event. This year would have been our 9th Annual Run, which has become a tradition at Halloween in Fort Collins. Every year this event has grown and become more popular and was a good fund raiser for the wolves. If you remember last year’s event, which was the most successful ever, the run had to be completely moved the day before the event due to Candidate Barack Obama’s campaign speech at the CSU Oval. We are confident that next year’s economy will be much better and we will again be planning on a wonderful event. Thank you for your understanding and we hope to see you next year. |
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The Summer has gone by amazingly fast and we were blessed with a fairly mild and reasonably wet season. This was a welcomed relief from the usual dry and hot norm, which always has us on edge regarding the threat of wild fires. The fire road and forest thinning project reported in our last newsletter has been largely finished, but tons of slash remain. We will need significant volunteer help to chip all of this, so if you or any groups you know like getting into the mountains and are willing to run a chipper, please contact us. We are ecstatic to have this done as it will help with the beetle infestation coming and lessen the threat of wildfire issues for years to come. Although most of the animals are doing spectacularly well, it became apparent during a routine check that Mucqua had developed glaucoma and we needed to do something (see ‘Mucqua’s Eye Surgery’ -pg 12).
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It has also become apparent that Shaman’s knees are getting worse. At 10.5 years old he struggles to get up from a laying position as well as dealing with steeper slopes. He needs his ACLs repaired, which is a fairly routine surgery however the recovery limitations involve minimal mobility. We are trying to figure out how we would be able to provide this based on the fact that his companion is Isabeau, the hyper-alpha. We do have an idea on how to accomplish this, but will need some time to let him adapt as well as find the money necessary for the surgeries. Please help if you can. Thank you! We are saddened to report that Kiley McGowen has left her position at Wolf . The unyielding stress, demanding hours and difficulties maintaining a personal life took its toll. She was very instrumental to Wolf ’s mission over the last 3 years and will be missed immensely. Thank you! |
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WOLF, Post Office Box 1544, La Porte, CO 80535 - USA