New Mexico Wolf Sanctuary Seeks to Save Colorado Sanctuary
- Deep in the heart of western New Mexico, you'll find a pack of wolves unlike any other.
New Mexico Wolf Sanctuary Aims to Rescue Colorado Pack, Expand Reach
CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. – Deep in the heart of western New Mexico, the Wild Spirit Wolf sanctuary provides a haven for wolves and wolf-dogs who can’t survive in the wild. Now, this sanctuary is embarking on an ambitious mission to rescue a struggling pack in colorado and expand its reach, offering hope to more animals in need.
Deep in the heart of western New Mexico, you’ll find a pack of wolves unlike any other.
“Every single animal on property, [except for our four coyotes] were bred in captivity to being sold to people as pets, or to being sold to facilities for exhibit, exhibition or breeding programs,” said Brittany McDonald, executive director of the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary.
The sanctuary,one of the largest of its kind in the country,provides lifelong care to nearly 75 animals who are not eligible for release into the wild.
“Thay have never been in the wild, so they are not eligible for re-release.So we offer lifelong care to these animals, and in order to educate people about the plight of them and how they end up here,” said McDonald.But Wild Spirit is at capacity. With 25 acres of enclosures, they receive hundreds of intake requests each year, forced to turn away the majority.
“The problem with wolf-dog ownership and the challenges that result in them needing sanctuary are not going away with the rise of TikTok and things like that,” McDonald said.
That’s why Wild Spirit stepped in when they learned that the Indigo Mountain Sanctuary, a similar facility in Colorado, was facing closure, jeopardizing the lives of 25 wolf-dogs.
“I actually approached them and asked if they would be interested in doing a dissolution into Wild Spirit, which would allow us to take over their property and the animals. Keep them there and keep a vital sanctuary resource for future generations,” said mcdonald.
To make this vision a reality, Wild Spirit is launching a $1.5 million fundraising campaign. Half of the funds will be used to acquire the Indigo Mountain property, nestled between Colorado Springs and Denver. The remaining half will be used to upgrade the facility and allow it to welcome paying visitors, potentially reaching a much wider audience than the remote Wild Spirit Sanctuary.
“Even when people do come out to visit, and they’re willing to spend the money to see us, it’s at least one to two hours from the nearest town or city,” McDonald said.The increased revenue from the Colorado location would benefit both sanctuaries, allowing them to expand their care for rescued animals.
“We have over 100 acres, but we can’t currently afford to expand much more than we have done, and we can’t afford to feed more rescues and vet more rescues. But that could all very easily change if we have a successful venture in Colorado,” said McDonald.
To learn more about the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary and how you can help, visit: https://wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/events/indigo-mountain-campaign/
Q&A with Brittany McDonald: Hope for a Colorado Wolf Pack
NewsDirectory3: Brittany, thanks for taking the time to speak with us about this exciting new chapter for Wild Spirit.
Brittany McDonald: Thank you for having me.
ND3: Can you tell our readers a bit about Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary and the unique mission it serves?
BM: Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a lifelong home for wolves and wolf-dogs who cannot survive in the wild. These animals often come from captive breeding programs, roadside zoos, or situations where they were kept as pets. They’ve never learned the skills they need to thrive in the wild.
ND3: Wild Spirit is quite remote.What are some of the
challenges you face in your location?
BM: We’re located in western New Mexico, which is beautiful, but also quite a distance from large population centers. This limits the number of people who are able to visit us, making fundraising and awareness a constant challenge.
ND3: We understand that Wild Spirit is reaching out to help a struggling wolf sanctuary in Colorado. What’s the situation there?
BM: The Indigo Mountain Sanctuary, a similar facility in Colorado, is facing closure, which puts the well-being of 25 wolf-dogs at risk. We felt compelled to act.
ND3: How will taking over Indigo Mountain benefit both sanctuaries and the animals?
BM: Acquiring the Indigo Mountain property will allow us to double our impact. The location between Colorado springs and Denver offers the potential to reach a much wider audience through visitors. The increased revenue will enable us to expand care for rescued animals at both sanctuaries, which is desperately needed given the number of intake requests we receive.
ND3: What’s next for Wild Spirit?
BM: We’ve launched a $1.5 million fundraising campaign to make this vision a reality. We’re calling on animal lovers and supporters to help us secure a future for these incredible animals. Every contribution makes a difference.
ND3: How can people learn more and get involved?
BM: They can visit our website at https://wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/events/indigo-mountain-campaign/ to learn more about the campaign and how to donate.