Forever members of the pack

"We will be known forever by the tracks we leave." - Dakota Sioux

Noche (2013):

Noche was 15 and was one of our elder residents. He came to Wolfwood in December of 2001 via W.O.L.F as a 3 year-old. He was in the Table Mt. Shelter and W.O.L.F. did not have room for him. Noche was strong and curious, but shy. He sometimes would approach the fence to check you out but then move away and watch you. Once in a while, he would even let out a bark. If you went into his enclosure, he would move to the opposite side and avoid you. Noche had a very thick coat and since he was a low-percentage animal he always seems to be shedding. He lived with Dodi until she passed in 2010 and was a bachelor since then.

Noche was a big teddy bear of an animal. But, he was in pain and had difficulty moving around due to cancer. It was time for his spirit to be released.

 

Misty (2013):

Misty was 17 when she departed the pack. She was the last remaining member of the Oakland 6 pack that came to the Refuge in 2002. Due to the abuse the pack endured before coming to the Refuge, Misty was especially cautious around men but warmed up to the female volunteers. Misty lived with Rosie for many years. When Rosie passed away, Misty became very shy and a bit standoffish. She eventually moved in with her neighbor, Adamma. She became Adamma's girlfriend and they were our elderly, crotchety couple. She survived the winter but got too weak to get up and move around. She was a sweet old girl and a special friend to some of the volunteers. She can now rest in peace with the other members of the Oakland 6 pack.

 

Big Timber (2013):

Big Timber died of natural causes at the age of 13. He had lived at the refuge since 2002 and was part of the Oakland 6 pack that was rescued along with Misty and Cassidy. The Oakland pack was a group of 6 wolves that were used to protect a meth-house in Oakland, CA. Six animals were chained to each other, neck to neck. The captives were thrown unopened cans of refried beans to eat and were malnourished and emaciated. They were brought to Wolfwood where the long road of rehabilitation began.

Big Timber was a high-percentage animal. He was handsome, strong, smart and athletic. Those features made him a bit of an escape artist and special precautions had to be taken to keep him from having adventures beyond his enclosure. He was somewhat shy but quietly welcomed those he knew well. He was a favorite of Paula. Ria was his pen mate and she was very attached to him. As with Cassidy & Misty, Big Timber is a glowing testament to the reason for the existence of Wolfwood.

 

Willow (2013):

On March 8th, 2013, we lost one of the true gentle souls of Wolfwood. Willow did not survive surgery performed to remove large tumors. She was 12 years old.

You cannot tell the story of Willow without also including Ranger. The two were inseparable and if there ever was a "Love Story" movie based on animals, Willow and Ranger would star in it.  Willow and Ranger were probably born around 2000. Both are medium percentage animals. Willow was a Malamute/Wolf mix and consequently, was a very large animal. Nothing is known about their time together prior to 2004 when they were found starving, infested with parasites and running loose in the mountain passes near Longmont, CO. However, it was clear that they were a pair that cared deeply about each other.

In August of 2004, Ranger had been hit by a car and was seriously injured. Willow refused to leave his side.  With Ranger's injuries and Willow's insistence to stay with him, Animal Control was able to rescue both of them. Wolfwood was contacted and their story at the Refuge began. Ranger's injuries were healed, both were treated for their ailments and the two of them were reunited in the enclosure where Ranger became famous for his rock climbing.

They were a perfect match; Both were large, confident, athletic, strong animals, with Willow being the much less shy of the two. Willow's size and temperament made her a favorite Ambassador for Wolfwood. She would visit schools and other events where children and adults alike would wait their turn to hug and pet the big "love muffin."  In return, Willow would shower them with kisses, rubs and lots of fur. She was tireless in support of the Refuge. At the Refuge, she would sit in your lap and enjoy being petted for as long as you wanted. This was quite a feat for the volunteers since Willow weighed well over 100 pounds. But, no one seemed to mind.

In the summer of 2012, Willow retired as a traveling Ambassador after the Lake City event. But that didn't mean she was done getting attention. She still loved having visitors of all ages and welcomed people at the Refuge, especially children. While Ranger would avoid the hubbub of the attention, Willow relished in it. If she grew tired during the large visits, she would simply walk away to join Ranger in the far part of the enclosure. She was magnificent to watch whether surrounded by people or simply enjoying Ranger's company.

The circle of life continues at the Refuge. It is inevitable, it is natural and it must be accepted. But, that doesn't mean it is easy. This is one of those times. Our thoughts are with Paula, Craig, Ranger and all the Wolfwood volunteers. Many people had the privilege of knowing Willow well. For that, we are thankful and blessed.

 

Kia (2013):

We lost our beautiful singer, Kia, in early February. She was 14. Kia went to the vet to have a growth removed from her neck. She came through the operation fine, but died unexpectedly during the night. It was discovered she had lung cancer.

Kia was a very sweet and affectionate girl who loved people. Her pen mate, Casey, had just recently passed away. Even though she had lost her voice, she would still throw her head back and try to sing for all the children who came to visit Wolfwood.

Kia joined the Wolfwood family September 2002 from Berkeley CA and was famous for her howl. She loved to show off for people and was one of the few animals that would, sometimes, howl on command. However, a stroke in 2012 affected her vocal cords and ability to howl. She still enjoyed trying to howl, though, and the pets and rubs she received as thanks made her extremely happy. She had a "teddy bear" appearance that made her seem much younger than she was. She did not like to be brushed even though she loved to be petted. But, after the muddy season her coat had be shaved off in the summer months to get rid of the matting the season produced. This left her with a unique look among the members of the Wolfwood family. She loved company and would hurry to meet new visitors whenever they came up the hill. She lived with Casey until his death early in 2013.

Going to the top of the hill won't be the same without seeing Kia's smile. She led a long and joyful life at the Refuge. Sing on Kia.

 

Casey (2013):

Ateria (2012):
Ateria was one of the senior, long-time members of the Wolfwood family and was 16 years old.  She came to Wolfwood in March of 2002 from a shelter in N.M. when employees called us instead of putting her down. She was shy and would not come up to people but would watch warily from a distance. She loved to dig dens and lived with Saber and then Johnny and was dominate with both.  We will miss her sweet face.

Dominoe (2012):
Domino was the last of our original 9 pack that came to the refuge in 1997 and was 16 years old. He lived with Trinity at the end of his life and was stressed to be separated from her because of her hip surgery.  He was submissive to his pack members but would always defend Trinity.  He would bark at strangers and did not like to be petted unless you gained his trust and he knew you well.  We mourn his loss and the loss of the last animal of the beginning of it all.

Heidi (2012):
Heidi was born at the Refuge when we were in Pagosa. Her mother came in pregnant at a very old age and died before Heidi was a year old. Two of her siblings have already died from complications of dwarfism. She and her brother Casey lived together their whole lives and never really liked to be touched by people. Heidi died on a winter evening. Her brother, Casey, now lives with Kia.

Isis (2012):
Isis was our oldest animal at almost 17 and came to the refuge with two other animals in the summer of 2005. Her owners were getting divorced and didn't want the three animals anymore.  She was the last of her original pack to be still with us.  Isis was extremely shy and one of the more elusive members of the Wolfwood family.  She lived happily with Smokey, Topaz and Chica but was still the boss even at her advanced age. She died in her sleep one night. Her family will miss her.

Nomad (2012):
Nomad was 13 and came to the Refuge during November of 2004 from the Aztec shelter as a 5-year-old adult. Before he came to the Refuge, he had been catch-poled on two sides and was dragged until he bled. He had been on a chain his whole life and was in shock and extremely disoriented when he arrived.  But, with time and patience he adapted to his new home and finally warmed up to people. Nomad was a big, strong, handsome animal and was protective of his food. He would sometimes come up to visitors at the fence, but, if he let you pet him, he will be very particular about where you pet him. He may not mind being petted along the lower part of his back but he did not like to be touched towards his neck. Nomad lived with Tika.  He had a bad heart condition and Dr Wagner said it would be a kindness to let him go. He was a rough and tumble guy and left us enjoying a big juicy bone until the very end.

Red Dog (2012):
Red Dog was a sweet, goofy guy who always had a big grin on his face. He came from the Ignacio area. Someone bought him on the Internet for $800 because he was a "red wolf". Red Dog was a big, fat Husky, without an ounce of wolf in him, but we all loved him anyway. He wanted belly rubs and food! He developed severe arthritis. On the night he died there was an amazing red sunset, a final farewell from our friend.

Simone (2012):
Simone was very shy and did not like to be touched.  She lived in California with another animal named Mozart.  In 2000, Mozart was flown to Wolfwood but Simone was flown to a person in Philadelphia.  However, her new owner had a heart attack shortly after Simone arrived so she was flown to Denver where we picked her up.  

Simone was 16 and had cancer.  Eventually she had great difficulty getting up and moving and she would have frozen to the ground in that condition as the winter set in.  She was ready for her passing, even if we weren't.

Few animals have touched as many lives as she has.  More then anyone else, she helped make WolfWood into the special refuge that it is.  She shaped and shared our dream.  Tonka, you are loved and missed.  Rest and run with your brother.
(Read more of the story of Tonka and Buddy in our July 2012 newsletter which can be found here.)

Zia (2012):
Zia was part of a coordinated rescue between the Ute Tribe, La Plata Humane Society and WolfWood in 1999. She was one of the 30 animals taken over two years from an extremely bad situation here in the Durango area. She had Parvo as a puppy, and had some residual damage because of that. She lived to be 14. She was Silver's pen mate who passed late last year. She was the last of the "Shannon" group. While never an animal that would let you close, she had a long life here at WolfWood.

Anis (2011):
Anis came to us from Farmington NM. She was in a very bad situation there. She was always shy and submissive. After her sister died, Anis went to live with Inepee. She was very happy with him until she passed away at the age of 10. Her sweet face will be missed.

Bronte came to us after he was picked up by the Pueblo Humane Society when he was found running loose. He was, by far, the largest member of the Wolfwood family.  However, that size ended up taking a toll on his kidneys as he got older.

Bronte became an Ambassador for Wolfwood almost immediately.  He loved children and loved the attention associated with being the center of an event.

While Bronte was a very large animal, he had some interesting tendencies.  He did not like cowboy hats and would back away when he saw someone wearing one.  This may have been due to his handling before he came to Wolfwood.

Bronte also had his particular likes and dislikes while traveling in his Ambassador role.  When staying somewhere away from Wolfwood, Bronte had to have a clear line of sight to wherever Craig and Paula were staying.  He didn't need to actually see them but he had to see the door of the place where they were staying.  On one trip it wasn't physically possible for Bronte to see the door of the house even though Craig and Paula could see Bronte through a window.  Bronte howled and howled until Craig came out to assure him that they were still there.  Bronte wasn't satisfied, and when Craig went back inside, he began to howl again because he couldn't see the door.  Craig came out and slept in the truck with Bronte so he would feel better.

We were fortunate to have several weeks with Bronte to say our goodbyes. Lavonne sat with him, and he was surrounded by friends as he passed. We miss his beautiful spirit, but take comfort in knowing he is with Cassidy again.

Navarre was one of the original 9 members of the Wolfwood pack.  His father, Winslow, was the undisputed alpha of the pack.

Navarre was one of the first Ambassadors for Wolfwood and enjoyed his role for many years.  As he got older, Navarre turned over the reins to other animals and enjoyed spending his time with Dominoe (of the original pack) and Trinity, a new addition.

Navarre inherited some characteristics from his father regarding leadership within the pack.  While his father was alive, Navarre always made sure that the younger members of the pack were allowed their fair share of the food.  However, he wasn't a push-over for these youngsters.  He had no problem letting a younger member know when they were out-of-line regarding their behavior around the older pack members.

As Navarre's father aged, some wolves tried to take the alpha role, especially after his father had a stroke.  However, Navarre did not let this happen.  Navarre would not allow any other wolf to eat before his father, even though his father could not physically hold the alpha role.  If another animal tried to eat first, there were severe consequences from Navarre.  Needless to say, the other pack members quickly learned who the next alpha was and who they would listen to.  Navarre made sure his father got the respect he deserved until the day his father died.

But Navarre also had patience that would surprise people.  At one event at a Humane Society, a small dog got loose and started biting Navarre on his backside.  The Wolfwood volunteer had Navarre on a leash but if he wanted to go after the small dog, it would have been an issue.  Navarre just looked at Paula with an expression that said "Is this little dog kidding me?"  Fortunately, the little dog was put back on a leash and taken away.  Navarre went on his way with his continued role as Ambassador for Wolfwood at the event.

His leadership qualities, confidence and personality will be missed.

Saber (2011):
Saber died at 13. He came to us from Utah. Knowing there were safe places for animals like Saber, animal control officers did not want to put him down. After contacting us and getting the go ahead, Best Friends offered to transport him here. He flew in a Piper Cherokee into Durango airport. He lived happily at Wolfwood, with his friend Atirea, for 10 years. Saber was an active and strong animal even after his surgery, but eventually he succumbed to cancer.

Silver (2011):
Silver was part of a coordinated rescue between the Ute tribe, La Plata Humane Society and WolfWood. He was one of the 30 animals taken over two years from an extremely bad situation here in the Durango area. He had parvo (a contagious canine virus) as a puppy, and had some residual damage because of that. He lived to 12. Silver never socialized well, although we tried. Liz Morris spent many hours with him when he was younger. He lived with his sister Zia, who is the last of the "Shannon" group. While never an animal that would let you close, Silver was a brave example of survival against the odds.

Cassidy (2010):
Many of you had met Cassidy, either in Estes Park or at one of our other events.  She had been a premier ambassador animal for years and had literally been petted and photographed by thousands of people.