![]() As true carnivores they require a raw meat diet to truly thrive not just meat, but organs, bones, and additional supplements to mimic things like fur, feathers, antlers, and hooves that they would also be eating if they lived in the wild. Unlike dogs – whose digestive systems have been adapted over hundreds of thousands of years – wolves are unable to process grains, meaning they cannot sustain a healthy life by consuming dog food. It is not uncommon to see animals with too little space expressing negative, stereotypic behaviors such as excessive pacing, over grooming, or even self-mutilation. In order to protect those necessities, the pack is known to frequently patrol the territory by roaming along the perimeter and scent marking in order to ward off neighboring packs.In reality, it is next to impossible for the average person to provide an animal with that much space, and since wolves instinctively seek to roam and patrol, putting them in a smaller area can lead to extreme stress and anxiety. In the wild, Grey wolves can inhabit territories of up to 100 square miles, while the Arctic sub-species will occupy areas 3-10 times that size! Wolves rely heavily on this space to provide them with valuable resources like food, water, and shelter. Wolves require a lot of space to roam. ![]() Even at the Sanctuary, where we do everything we can to give them the quality of care that they deserve, we are not able to replicate what their lives would be like in the wild. Wolves – and therefore wolfdogs – require very specialized care. It is for this reason that we feel the need to educate our guests about the many challenges of keeping wolves and wolfdogs in human homes. Though each of our animals has their own unique story, the overall theme is often the same… The reality is that a vast majority of animals that end up in sanctuaries have a history of neglect and abuse, and while good, responsible owners certainly do exist, they are often the exception, not the rule. Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary exists to provide permanent placement to rescued wolves and wolfdogs – most of which were once privately owned as pets.
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